Finding out
by Khatal
Summary: Anna was taken apart from Kino when she was a child and wasn't raised by her so never met Yoh until now. He does anything to get closer and help her with her goals. (YohxAnna)
1. Chapter 1

**A little change**

 **.**

Just another day. Another exhausting day.

Anna looked for the keys of her apartment. A small place, just one room with the bedroom, living room and kitchen distributed in the same space. The little girl who lived next door greeted her with a big smile when she and her mother arrived at the door of their own apartment. Anna waved her hand as answer, the mom looked at her disgusted and forced her kid to go inside while frowning at the blonde.

 _I don't like you either._ Those were Anna's thoughts, frowning to the place the woman was seconds ago. She finally found the key and entered her own place. Took of her shoes and walked exhausted to the bed. She didn't even bother to change the croupier uniform she was wearing. This blonde girl was only 15 but she worked part time at the "Tokyo's Jackpot" the biggest casino in the city. She had emancipated from her tutors about 2 years ago and was allowed to work in that place, she had a huge salary because of her ability with cards and her own special ability which was well known for the owner of the Tokyo's.

Today it was the beginning of the Golden Week. All the 15-year-old students were taking it like vacation but not her, she hated the Golden Week because she had a LOT of work at the casino. It was like if all the gamblers in Tokyo were released after being locked with their wallets and hands tied.

"This work will kill me… But that's not a bad thing actually…", she whispered to herself. Anna was not suicidal but she was tired of her life. Reading the thoughts of every single person around was tiring, and she had to do it day after day at work. At least the pay was worth it and with all her saves she would pay any college easily. Still had 2 years left to go college but without a family behind she had to be organized. She also needed the money for her own research, she had grown up with her tutors but was curious about her parents. Don't take her wrong, she wanted to know about them just for possible future health issues and the damn headaches she got every time she used her powers, she didn't want to find them for a stupid reason like being a happy family. They abandoned her so it was impossible to love them and she was sure they didn't love her.

"Hey! Why do you ignore me?! I know you can see me! You did it at the Tokyo's!"

And there it was, the annoying man who killed himself after losing millions at the casino and who was haunting her since that morning. She thought he was gone by now, but no, he was still there.

She stretched and stood up. Walked to the closet and looked for the blue pearl necklace she was given by that old medium years ago, the woman taught her the basics and was interested in training her, but her tutors didn't allow it and they moved to Kyoto taking her away from Kino. Of course, they did not want her training with the old lady just because if Anna was gone her maintenance money would be gone as well. Anyway, thanks to Mrs. Kino's teachings she was now able to get rid of the annoying ghosts.

"What are you doing?", the man in front of her asked confused.

"I'm sending you to the other world so you stop annoying me" She raised her arm and closed her eyes ready to start.

"Wait! I didn't mean to be annoying. I'm sorry. Please, I want to ask you a favor!" He cried a little bit desperate.

"Do I look like someone who would do anything for a stranger?" Anna raised her eyebrow.

"Well… I don't know…" The girl was not happy of seeing him that was for sure. But she was his last chance. "But, I need help. Please, help me and I will be gone before you can notice."

Anna sighed. That was pretty common: a spirit asking her for help. She had promised to Kino that she would help those errant spirits even if she didn't want to. That was the price stated by the old lady for teaching her to control her powers and she would not dare to break her promise, Kino Asakura was the only person in the whole world than didn't look at her with reproval or like if she was a monster.

"Fine. What do you need?", she said in a bad mood. She was exhausted and suffering the headache of her life. "Say it before I change my mind".

"Well, I need you to give my little brother the number of the lawyer who has my will. I still had plenty of money and I want to be sure he is the one taking it".

Anna sighed and agreed. She changed clothes and followed the ghost to the place of his little brother. She said she was working on the lawyer's studio and give the message to the guy. The guy thanked her, the spirit rested in peace and she started walking back to her place to finally take her well-deserved rest.

She was reaching the station when she noticed a brown-haired guy with orange headphones looking at her. Anna frowned when she perceived the thoughts of the guy: "She is so cute… Would it be weird if I say hi to her?". _Yes, it would be weird 'cause I do not know who the hell you are_ , answered Anna on her own mind. "Don't be stupid Yoh. C'mon you survived Hao! You can't be afraid of a girl! … and such a cute girl. What's the worst she could tell you? Maybe she will just ignore you in the worst case", those were his thoughts. Anna started to walk faster, she didn't want to meet anybody, she just wanted to go home and have a date with her beloved bed. And she was successful, reached the train leaving the guy behind or at least that was what she thought.

"Yoh? I think I've heard that name before…", she whispered to herself.

"Hi"

Anna almost had a heart attack when she heard his voice on her back. She didn't even notice when he got the train. _How the hell did he reach me so fast?!,_ asked to herself in her mind.

"Hahaha. I'm sorry if I scared you", he said with a sheepish smile while scratching the back of his head. "Well, ammm I guess I have seen you at the 'Tokyo's Jackpot'. You are a croupier there, right?" Of course he had seen her, he was the best friend of the owner's son and they used to hang around the casino on weekends when Manta was forced to work there to get used with one of the family business. And Yoh was thinking how to approach her since she started working there. He felt lucky when he saw her walking in the street, maybe it was a sign to talk to her.

"Just go away and die", she answered indifferently. She was not in the mood for a friendly chat and she wasn't the kind of friendly person actually. Plus, her head was killing her, she had started to feel a little fever.

 _If she knew I have been already dead…_ , he thought, feeling as if his heart had been ripped out and put on the train line to be crushed.

Anna looked at him curiously just for a second. _What did he mean by that?_ Then ignored him, maybe it was something like an illness. Talking about illnesses, the crowd was making her feel dizzy and the fever seemed to be getting worse. Luckily, her station was the next one. When the train stopped and she moved to get out all turned black around her.

She woke up surrounded by a lot of people and the brown-haired guy holding her head. He looked at her concerned, she had fainted when the train arrived.

"Are you ok?", he asked worried.

"Yes. I'm ok", she answered. Took her head with one hand, too much people and she was not controlling herself because of the exhaustive mind-reading work at the casino that day. It was dangerous for all of them, she needed to go home quickly. "Thank you". She stood up and started walking at her top speed.

"Hey! Wait!" Yoh ran after her.

"Don't follow me!" That stupid Yoh, he was in danger if he walked any closer.

And it appeared: an oni. Just in front of her.

"Damn it!", she muttered. She could not control it on time.

"Be aware! Amidamaru!" Yoh stood in front of her with a sword on his hand, facing the oni. She looked at him with eyes wide opened. He was actually able to see it?! If that was the case she had to warn him. When Anna opened her mouth to warn him about it, the oni was already gone after receiving a clean cut of his sword. She looked at him shocked. Who the hell was him?!

"Are you OK? Did it hurt you?", he asked concerned.

"Y-yeah… I…" Anna shook her head. "What the hell was that?!", she cried out.

"Well, I guess that was an oni―"

"I know that was an oni! Those things appear in front of me since I can remember. I mean what was that than you did with the red sword?!".

Anna looked at him demanding an explanation. Yoh looked back at her with a big smile. Maybe it was in a strange way, but he finally got the opportunity to meet her and talk to her that day after all.

.

* * *

.

"Asakura? Are you related to Kino Asakura?", she asked after Yoh explained her than he was a shaman. They were at Anna's place, he helped her and she was polite enough to thank him with a tea… and wanted to have some answers of course.

"Uh. Yeah, she is my grandmother. Have you known her?" Yoh was surprised, maybe they had more connections than he expected.

"I trained with her when I lived in Osore. She took me like apprentice when I was 4 but my tutors moved to Kyoto when I turned 9 so I stopped my training with her"

"So, you are that Anna!". Yoh looked at her extremely surprised. "My grandma says than you were her best apprentice ever. She was really sad when you left."

"Really?" Anna's voice was indifferent and she didn't show any emotion on her face but inside she was surprised and that comment moved her deeply, she knew the old lady only wanted to keep her because of her powers, but Kino treated her like if she was just another girl and never looked at her with fear… unlike everyone else.

"Yeah! I'm sure she will be happy to have news about you!", Yoh answered with a big smile on his face. "Hey! It's Golden Week. We don't have school and I'm going to visit my grandparents. You could go with me and visit her!"

"I have to work this week". Anna looked at him frowning. "Do you realize than we have just meet each other and you are asking me to go in a trip with you?"

Yoh blushed. He was so excited for having so much in common with her than never thought about the situation.

"I… I'm sorry", he muttered ashamed. "But… you know… My best friend is the son of the owner and he could get you a few days off… You seem tired" Yoh didn't give up. He just wanted to know more about that beautiful and mysterious blonde girl.

Anna crossed her arms under her chest and frowned at him with a light blush on her cheeks, she was hearing all his thoughts.

"Don't you dare to think we will start dating just because you helped me. And even if your friend is technically the owner, they have me because of my powers and they give me extra hours during holidays and festivities."

Yoh coughed. Anna noted it was fake. Who wouldn't notice?

"Aaam. So, what kind of powers do you use there? I have some friends than maybe could replace you", he asked with a sheepish smile.

"That's not of your business", she responded sharply. He lowered his head and seemed like a little boy being depressed… _He is kinda cute…_ C _ute?! What the hell are you thinking Anna?!,_ she scolded herself in her thoughts two seconds after thinking it.

"Yeah. I guess you're right", he said with another big smile on his face. "We have just met. But I would like to talk with you more often. Is that ok?"

"Do whatever you want." She crossed her arms under her chest looking away and tried to hide her blush. This guy was really annoying.

His smile became wider. She was hard to reach that was for sure, but at least she was giving him a little chance to meet her.

Yoh talked to her at the casino and went to visit often during the next few days, but he went to his grandparent's house after and didn't see him around. She didn't want to admit it, but she was starting to appreciate him. Anna hated all the people around, her ability of mind-reading had made her know the deepest thoughts and feelings of everyone around and every single person she had met was a liar, thinking and feeling one thing but saying another just to keep up appearances. But Yoh was different, he was honest and never lied to her… well, he lied when it was about his feelings about her just to avoid a slap or something like that, but that was Anna's fault after all, she was responsible of he being afraid of her reactions.

After the Golden Week she finally was able to take a rest from work during two weeks. Anna thought she would not see Yoh until her little vacation period was over, but the brown-haired boy had another idea. He was waiting for her in front of her apartment when she arrived after high school that Monday.

"You are becoming a stalker, you know?", she said looking for the keys. Yoh giggled and smiled at her.

"Well I was home alone and remembered you said you had to cook dinner after school but you always arrived late and it was annoying because you always arrived hunger and hated to wait", he answered with a big smile and pointed to the white bag in his hand. "So, I brought dinner and we can eat together."

Anna looked at him without expression on her face, but she was really surprised of him remembering such a trivial conversation like the one they had last week during her rest at work.

"You ARE like a stalker".

She finally found the keys and opened the door, they both entered the little apartment and sat down to eat.

"You said you like curry", he said serving her portion with his usual big smile.

Anna was surprised. Yoh seemed to be the typical distracted boy, but he remembered quite well all the details of their conversations, even if they were not relevant like her culinary tastes.

"Oh! Here!" Yoh pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and give it to Anna. She looked at him raising an eyebrow when she read on his mind that it was a letter of Mrs. Kino. "It's a letter from my grandma. She was really happy of having news about you", he said with another big smile.

Anna took the paper and unfold it. It was on braille, of course, Kino was blind. She started reading it silently:

" _Anna,_

 _I was really surprised when Yoh told me about you. I'm glad to hear than you can live an almost normal life even with the reishi issue, my grandson says you also got a part time job, that's great! I would like to see you again, maybe if you continue with your training those onis will stop appearing. And even if you don't want to continue with your training please give me some news, you can come to visit anytime you want. This old woman will be glad to see you before leaving this world, so please consider a visit. I will be waiting our meeting._

 _Kino Asakura."_

Anna read it again, a nervous and incredulous smile appeared on her face. Was Kino using her age to make her feel guilty if she didn't visit? And the last phrase: _I will be waiting our meeting_ , Anna almost heard her master saying: _You better come here soon,_ with an authoritarian tone, when she read it.

 _She hasn't change…,_ thought Anna. Raised her sight to look at Yoh and thank him, but he wasn't sitting at the table anymore. The brown-haired boy was reading at the notes of her research about her parents.

She stood up upset and pushed him away from the desk, that was personal and he wasn't allowed to see it.

Yoh looked at her and knew he was in trouble because of her eyes… she was upset, she was REALLY upset.

"I- I'm sorry Anna…", he apologized nervously putting his hands in front of him trying to protect himself. "But… there is no… there is nothing wrong with looking for them. Can I help you?", he asked innocently.

Anna kept quiet, giving Yoh a glance that could kill him 20 times. She pointed out at the door trembling in rage, but Yoh didn't move.

"GET OUT!", she yelled furious.

The shaman was trembling in fear, she was scary like hell when she was upset, but he didn't move because he really wanted to know about her. His grandmother said than she needed to continue in training to control herself but her parents didn't allow it even when they didn't seem to care about being with her… Kino also said they didn't love her, and that Anna preferred to stay in the temple instead of her house.

"No! If this makes you mad then it is important to you, let me help you", he said, making heart guts.

"It's not of your business! GET OUT!"

"No! I'm not going anywhere!"

Yoh sat down on the floor crossing his arms on his chest like a stubborn kid. That made Anna angrier, she was about to slap him when someone knocked the door. She had to breath and count ten, it wasn't good to have witnesses of her violence. Anna opened the door. It was the little girl next door holding a white box, the girl smiled at her and gave her the box. Anna took it asking herself why was that.

"It's not good to have a fight with your boyfriend. I'm happy you are not alone anymore", the girl gave her a bright smile, and run to her apartment.

"He is not my boyfriend!", she yelled irritated with her face in shining red, but the little girl was already gone.

Yoh giggled, Anna was really shy inside.

 _*SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!*_

She didn't kick him out again, but the slaps echoed throughout the whole building. Yoh remained lying on the floor unconsciousness for a few minutes, when he woke up he was clear it wasn't a good idea to go against Anna's desires (his face was now aching and burning like hell!), but he asked anyway.

"Still not of your business", she pointed out, leaving the rage behind with those slaps, but she was still upset.

"But... I can help you!"

Yoh wanted to know, the story of his grandmother didn't fit with the actions of Anna, and he was wondering why she had to work so hard. If the people who opposed her training were her parents then Anna should be with them and not looking for them and, even if they were gone, Kino said they didn't love Anna and she didn't like to be with them. So, why would she look for them?

"I didn't ask for your help"

She opened the white box her neighbor had given to her. There were homemade donuts inside the box, that was weird, her neighbor hated her. Maybe it was the little girl's initiative, but Anna won't take the risk.

"Take one"

"Really?" Yoh smiled again. Thinking she had forgiven him. "Thanks!"

Anna studied his reactions while he was eating. Yoh seemed to be ok.

"Wow! Delicious! C'mon Anna take one!"

"I'm just studying if they are poisoned or something. Let me know if you feel bad"

Yoh opened the mouth and the rest of the donut fall on the table. Anna was mean.

.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

Hi reader! I hope you enjoy this story, this is the first one I write in english so my apologies for the grammar and orthography crimes I could commit while writing. Let me know if you don't understand that will make me improve and I would be thankfull :)

Thanks for reading! I hope to upload soon. Have nice day/nigth!


	2. Chapter 2

**Opening**

 **.**

"No"

"No?"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"You know why", she looked at him pissed off. How many times would she had to say it?

"Manta says he can help with your vacations"

"And I said: I don't need help"

"Yeah, but I said I will help you anyway"

Anna sighed exhausted. It had been some weeks since their discussion and she stating it was not of his business, but he didn't give up and everything was telling her he won't give up.

"You don't even know what is my problem and why I'm looking for them"

"That's 'cause you don't let me know"

"Which part of 'It's not of your business _'_ you don't understand?!"

"The part of you doing this all alone. I can help you, I really can"

"Ok. Let's suppose I let you help me. How are you supposed to do it?" She stared at him arms crossed.

"That's a yes?", he said with his usual big smile.

"NO! We are just thinking about the hypothetical case of me letting you help me", she said sharply.

"Well that sounds like a _yes_ for me"

 _*SLAP_!*

"Just answer!", she ordered. He was so irritating sometimes.

"Ouch… Fine", Yoh rubbed his cheek now marked with a red hand at the place Anna slapped him, "I would ask a Patch friend to look your past in the memory of the great spirits"

"Patch?", Anna looked at him raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah. They were the tournament organizers, he could help us"

"Us?", she asked, frowning at him.

"I told you, I won't leave you alone"

"Maybe I'm fine being alone"

Yoh looked at her frowning. Why it was so hard to accept help? His grandmother told him she was a proud person and wouldn't accept help so easily, so she taught him a _secret weapon_.

"If you don't want my help at least go and visit my grandma. She is old and won't be in this world for so long. Wouldn't you feel guilty if you don't see her even when she asked you to do it?"

Anna stopped and looked at him raising an eyebrow. So, Kino had trained him to talk with her, wow her sensei was good. She started walking again, maybe it wasn't so bad to go with him and see her sensei again. Maybe Mrs. Kino was right and the only thing she needed was to finish her training so she could control herself properly.

"Fine. I will go on a visit with you on vacation"

Yoh almost jumped in joy. Even if his grandmother wouldn't asked him to take care of Anna he would do it anyway, he knew how it was to be lonely and didn't like to think about Anna facing her hard life by herself.

"So―"

"I'm still not telling you", she interrupted before he could ask.

Yoh sighed disappointed. Sometimes it was like if Anna could read his mind.

"I don't want you to go my place this week", she suddenly changed the subject. He looked at her confused, was about to apologize and explain why he was so insistent but she continued before he could say a word, "I know your grandmother asked you to take care of me", she looked away with a light blush on her cheeks, "and I appreciate it. But you know, my neighbor gives me headaches and she is starting to think stuff about you and me…"

He blushed. Of course, Anna was a teenager living by her own and the only person visiting her for dinner and staying late was him. Plus, the little girl next door thought they were in a relationship and it was sure that kid had told her mother about it. He hadn't thought about the problems she could be facing because of him.

"Am. Sure, got it"

"Thanks"

They kept walking in silence with lowered head and cheeks painted red until they reached the station. Both said goodbye and boarded their respective trains.

"It seems she had successfully stolen your heart, Master Yoh", Amidamaru appeared next to him whit a big smile.

"Hehehe. You think so?" Yoh scratched his neck blushing with the comment.

"But, like your guardian, I have something to say about it", he added seriously. Yoh looked at him confused. "You are engaged Master Yoh, it's wrong to go after a girl without being single"

Yoh paled, he had completely forgotten about that little big detail. But he recovered quickly.

"You know it's not a big deal" He scratched his neck again, "That engagement was arranged by my grandfather, I don't have that kind of feelings for Tamao"

"But, Miss Anna doesn't know that. You should solve that first, I can see she is interested in you too"

"Really?!" Yoh looked at him with bright eyes and smile.

Amidamaru smiled back, this was the first crush of his master and he was happy to see than the girl didn't rejected him and was opening her heart slowly.

.

* * *

.

That Saturday Anna was in her shift at the blackjack table. A brown-haired boy with big orange headphones sat down at her table smiling, she sighed and looked at him severely.

"Yoh… If you keep this behavior I will be forced to put a restraining order against you"

"Why?", he whined and pouted. "I just came to say hello"

"Aaagh. This is my work shift and this table is reserved to experienced gamblers, so go to another one", she said starting to feel angry.

"Maybe I'm an experienced gambler", he said with a smirk on his face. Anna raised an eyebrow, she knew Yoh had never EVER played blackjack before. He doesn't even know the rules!

"The lower bet is 100.000 yens. If you don't have that amount you can't play"

"That's not fair!"

"It's fair. Get lost!"

"Hey, Anna! Give me something good today" A brunette woman with fancy clothes sat down at her table. Anna gave Yoh a killer look and he knew he had to leave if he wanted to live. He observed her once in a while at the distance, he started to feel concerned when she walked away massaging her temple.

"Manta… Anna told me she works here because of powers… What kind of powers does she use?"

"Powers?" Manta looked at him confused and then thoughtful, "Mmm. My dad told me she was an important element at blackjack and poker but never told me why"

Yoh focused on remember the talk he had with his grandmother back at Izumo, she had say a lot but nothing at the same time. His memories were interrupted by Anna approaching them and asking Manta for a break.

"Sure, take your time", he gave her the break immediately. She looked tired and was obviously having a bad time, he had noticed she was kind of 'sick' when the casino was full, "Maybe you should go home. Don't worry, I will consider this a whole shift. You look tired".

Anna wouldn't accept it if her headache was normal, but this time she could barely control herself like the day she met Yoh. All was the brunette woman's fault, she was so codicious she made her dizzy everytime she was on her table.

"Thank you. I'll go home" She bowed and walk quickly to get her bag. Yoh followed her and walked by her side. "You don't need to―"

"You look as tired as that day", Yoh interrupted her. "I will go with you even if you don't want to"

She was too tired to start arguing with him and it was a good idea actually, he could take rid of an oni if it appeared. So she took her bag and coat, and left the casino escorted by Yoh.

"I know you asked me not to go but―"

"Fine"

Yoh smiled widely. They continued their way in a comfortable silence, silence just for Yoh cause Anna could hear every single thought of every single person around, but was grateful about Yoh being quiet so she could focus on her own self-control. She sighed in relief when they arrived at her place without being attacked by one of her 'creations'.

"It's almost dinner time. What do you want to eat?"

"Whatever…", she muttered upside down at the bed.

"Do you want me to buy something for your headache?", he asked concerned from the door.

"No… It's ok. Just need a little rest"

"Mmm. Ok… I'll be back soon"

Yoh left her and ran to the nearest store. He returned in record time to Anna's surprise.

"Did you teleport or something?", she asked ironically. Yoh giggled and served the dinner at the table.

"I guess I have an idea about why you want to know about your parents"

Anna didn't look at him and started eating. _Really? Did he figure it out?_

"You have an illness, don't you?"

"Kind of…"

"I guess you don't really know what it is so you want to find them to figure it out and know how to deal with it"

Well, you could say he was right.

"Yes, it's something like that", at least he would stop asking if she confirmed his theory.

"Have you seen a doctor? A friend of mine is a really good one"

"Yes, I have. And doctors can't help me"

"Aaam. Maybe―"

"Yoh...", she interrupted and looked at him tired. "Just give up on me. Even my parents did it so why don't you―"

"I won't give up on you!", he shouted. His face turned shining red when he realized what he had just said, that phrase could have several meanings… and he meant all of them. Anna perceived his thoughts and her face lighted red too.

"What the hell do you see on me?!", she shouted standing up upset at his stubbornness. "I'm stubborn, I'm violent, I'm so damn controlling, I have a temper of a thousand demons, I have a LOT of troubles, I AM a trouble myself!"

"But you are also kind, smart, honest and sensitive, you are a good person, it's just you don't want other people notice it!",he responded the same way she did. "You don't deserve to walk this life all alone!"

"Don't be stupid! All I can bring to your life are troubles!"

"Maybe I need some troubles!"

Someone knocked the door interrupting their arguing, they looked each other and then looked away. They both knew maybe they were too loud and the one at the door should be Anna's neighbor. Yoh sat down again and Anna opened the door, there was a white bag at the floor with a piece of paper on top. Anna took it and unfold the paper, it was the work of the little girl next door for sure.

"Her name is Hikari", Anna said closing the door again still looking at the piece of paper.

"The little girl next door?", Yoh asked. Anna nodded, "Donuts again?"

Anna gave him the chocolate bar and started reading the message out loud:

"You shouldn't fight if you like to be together. My mama says than we need something sweet when we get bitter, so I thought maybe you could use some chocolate. Hope you like it!

Hikari

P.S. My mama doesn't know about the donuts and the chocolate, keep it secret!"

Yoh laughed softly.

"She is a smart kid", he said taking a piece of chocolate and offering other to Anna.

"She is", Anna agreed taking the piece of chocolate he had given her.

Both of them kept silent for a few minutes, they were on their own thoughts. Well, Anna could hear his too but was thinking about the feelings he had for her. He had seen the worst part of her, every single boy in the world would run away just in a few days but not him. Even if his grandmother asked him to take care of her, he was taking care just because he really cared… he had been the first one doing it without another reason more than just liking her. She looked at him, he was arm-crossed looking at the chocolate and thinking how to get closer and how to get her trust, she sighed. _I guess I'm starting to feel something for you_ , she thought. She decided that not knowing was unfair for him, he had a crush on her but he was not aware of the whole thing and was not fair to get closer without knowing all the implications of being with her.

"Have you ever heard about reishi?"

Yoh's eyes wide opened. Did she?! So, that was her problem! She had the same ability than Hao… _Wait_ … His face lightened in red again... _So she knew all the time!_

"Not all the time… but…" she shrugged and looked away.

"So… when you said trouble you were talking about reishi", he said trying to recover his usual color. "Are the onis a consequence of reishi?"

Anna nodded and explain him she had that problem since she was a toddler, but now she was able to control herself just enough to have an almost normal life.

"And your headaches are because of…", Yoh said thoughtful. He realized that an environment like the casino wasn't good for someone like her, was about to say it but she talked first.

"I need the money and won't have this salary at any other job", she said seriously, closing her eyes .

"Well… maybe you could work in another position. Let's talk with Manta, he could find a solution, just let us help"

Anna sighed and her lips formed an almost imperceptible smile. He was still thinking the same even knowing the truth, he was good man. Yoh smiled widely when he noted that subtle and beautiful smile, this was the first time she smiled at him and that meant she was accepting his help and, indirectly, she was accepting him.

.

 _ **To be continued...**_

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* * *

Hi reader! I hope this one wasn't so boring, still building the story. If you liked it don't forget to give feedback, I'll appreciate it and if you didn't like it I'll appreciate your honest opinion too xD Thanks for reading, have a nice day/night! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Confusing**

 **.**

Summer vacation. This was the first time in the last two years than she took a vacation at summer, she usually worked during those weeks. Anna looked at the boy in front of her, she was still surprised of herself accepting his company in that trip and was even more surprised of accepting him in her life. It was weird, just in a few months he had awaken feelings she could not give them a name, this was the first time in… well, maybe her entire life, she was feeling close to someone else and it was scary if not terrifying. Plus, he was engaged so if the strange feeling he had awaken in her was love then she was screwed… but he didn't like that girl Tamao in the same way he liked Anna or at least that was what it seemed when Yoh mentioned the apprentice living with his grandfather and mother. But he never thought about her before that moment so it was hard to know.

"We are almost there" he said looking through the window.

She didn't say a word and looked through the window too. "I hope this is not as uncomfortable as I think it will be", she thought.

.

* * *

.

"Welcome home!"

A pink-haired girl appeared in front of them at the entrance of the huge Asakura house.

"So, this is that Anna girl" those were the hostile thoughts of the pink-haired girl against her.

"Great! I had stablished my new record of someone hating me without exchanging a word and just in the first 10 seconds after meeting! Yay me!", Anna thought sarcastically. Well, Tamao had her reasons, she was Yoh's fiancée and her hate against Anna was obvious.

"Tamao, this is Anna. I already told you about her", he said perceiving some hostility from both girls to each other, "And Anna, this is Tamao, she has been an apprentice of the family for many years"

Both girls bowed as greeting. Anna glanced at Yoh, apprentice? Had he forgotten her ability? She already knew that girl was his fiancée!

"So, I'm just an apprentice…" Tamao thought sadly. The girl smiled then, "We were waiting for you, please follow me to the dining room", she said and guided them inside.

"Yoh, I know you are engaged with her" Anna whispered looking at him with narrowed eyes.

Yoh stopped nervous, he started sweating. Anna sounded upset, and she had the right to be, he had to explain before she explodes.

"No need to explain, I know" she said without emotion on her face. He sighed in relief, "But I was expecting you were brave enough to say it and do something with that before confessing me your feelings and bringing me here", she added leaving him behind.

The blonde stopped when he grabbed her wrist, she looked at Yoh confused.

"Tamao, go ahead we will be there in a sec", he said with a grin.

"Uh… Ok" Tamao obeyed and continued her way, "At least they should have waited until we are not engaged", she thought frowning.

"Great!", Anna said upset. She freed her wrist brusquely, "I thought you were decent enough to be honest with her before bringing me here"

"What are you talking about? She is like my sister and I'm like a brother for her"

Anna raised an eyebrow and looked at him arms crossed.

"You can't be more stupid"

He tilted his head in a clear sign of 'I don't get it'. Anna sighed and massaged her temple, she was containing the killer slap she wanted to give him, she opened her mouth to explain him the situation but couldn't say a word because she was interrupted for a familiar voice than she hadn't heard in about six years.

"Is my grandson bothering you?"

"Yes, he is the most idiotic person I have ever known" that's what Anna thought, "It has been a long time, sensei", that's what she actually said in the middle of a respectful bow. She didn't want more misunderstandings because of Yoh's incompetence at facing his grandparents and telling them he didn't want to be engaged anymore.

"Yes, it has been a long time. But that doesn't answer my question"

"He is kind of stupid but I can handle it"

"Hahaha. I'm glad to hear that. C'mon I'm starving and you must be tired"

The old lady started walking and they followed her in silence until Kino started asking Anna some courtesy questions. Yoh looked at the blonde worried, he didn't mean to hide his engagement or hide his feelings for Anna of his family he just never thought about it. Anna looked back at him and made Yoh shiver, of course, she was hearing everything on his mind.

"Anna… I'm sorry if this is making you feel uncomfortable… You know what I feel, don't you?" he thought, knowing she would hear.

Anna ignored him and focused on Kino's questions. The girl didn't talk to him again that day nor the next one or the next week, she was there to continue her training not to be worried about that stupid boy. Yoh couldn't sleep at night thinking how to fix it, but he had no idea of how to do it, he was not even clear about what was making Anna upset with him.

"So, what's wrong?", his grandfather asked. He had been observing Yoh since he returned with that girl Anna and was pretty obvious something was going on.

Yoh startled, he was so deep on his thoughts than didn't noticed the man approaching. What was wrong? Everything was wrong, he should had listened to Amidamaru and solve that problem when she didn't reject him… and nor accepted him though.

"It's about that girl, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's about her" Yoh looked down sadly.

"Well, she is a pretty girl. I'm not surprised of you having a crush on her"

"She is mad at me cause I didn't tell her about―"

"No, I guess she is mad at you because you didn't tell us about your intentions with her"

"She is mad because of both reasons…"

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but Anna was the one your grandmother wanted to be your fiancée, she was just taken away from us before we could arrange the engagement"

Yoh raised his head and looked at his grandfather extremely surprised, if that was the case then Anna could be accepted in the family if she finished her training. A shining smile appeared on his face and was about to ask his grandfather about the possibilities but the old man raised his hand to make him listen and continued.

"Even if that was the plan, things turned out in a different way. She is training but I don't think the path of shamans is what she really wants, she is only doing it because of her problem"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have to marry someone who is disposed to preserve our tradition" Yomei looked at him seriously, "I can understand your interest in her, but I can't risk our heritage"

"You are just supposing. She―"

"And you are supposing too" Yomei interrupted him calmly, "We can't force her to make that decision"

"But you can force me to marry someone you choose without asking me" Yoh responded sarcastically.

"You never said you disagreed"

"Because I never minded until now"

"Yoh, maybe you will forget about her in a couple months and―"

"I'm only 15! Why can't I choose a girlfriend like any other guy of my age?!" he exploded, he never minded about the impositions of his family but this time it was different.

"You know than we need to―"

"We don't even know if the tournament will be resumed! And I want Anna to be my partner if it was the case!" he had never yelled that way to his grandfather but he couldn't control himself.

"What if she doesn't want to be?!" Yomei yelled back at his grandson.

"I will never know 'cause she will NEVER give me a real chance if I'm engaged!"

Yomei sighed hard. That girl had enormous powers and having someone like her heading the family with his grandson would be spectacular, but she didn't even involve at the tournament last time so maybe she was not interested in the spiritual world fair enough to become part of the Asakura family. Anyway, Yoh was right about having a girlfriend chosen by him and not by his family, they had made a lot of impositions to his life so a little flexibility wouldn't hurt… just for a while.

"Fine, you are free for now" he said after a long silence. He hastened to continue when he saw the happy face of his grandson, "But, if she doesn't have intention of being part of the spiritual world I will never accept her like an Asakura"

"Don't worry grandpa!" Yoh said starting to run to talk with her at the waterfall.

.

* * *

.

"I can see you have worked on your own all this time", Kino smiled at her student. She was a fast learner.

"Some spirits have asked me for help"

Anna was breathing heavy, she was exhausted but she had to take advantage of every second. She had just this summer to learn.

"I'm glad to know you haven't forgotten your promise"

Both of them looked at the forest direction, they had perceived Yoh's presence approaching. The boy appeared in front of them with a big smile, Anna perceived his thoughts.

"So, you talked with your grandfather…" she muttered.

"Talked about what?" Kino asked.

"About me not being engaged. I want to…" he paused and looked Anna into the eyes but the words didn't go out of his mouth.

"I see" Kino smiled, she was pleased with this unexpected encounter of her grandson and her student. Her husband had told her about the situation before that talk with Yoh and all seemed to indicate Anna would stay connected with the spiritual world so she was as good candidate now as in the past.

"… I don't know what I feel Yoh…" Anna had perceived the thoughts of her sensei as well, she had to be honest with him. She didn't even know how to act with someone showing her so much care as Yoh.

"You will know… You don't have to know now…" he said without looking away from her.

Anna walked away without saying a word, she didn't even bother to excuse herself with Kino. She was accepting him in her life, but being his fiancée?! C'mon they were only 15! What the hell was wrong with that family?! Being part of the Asakura family and dedicate her life to the shamanic arts wasn't part of her plans, she wanted to go college and have her own business one day, being Yoh's wife and live to raise their children wasn't in the picture.

Yoh was about to follow her but his grandmother stopped him.

"Leave her alone by now. You should know this is confusing for her"

"But I thought she…" his voice sounded depressed, he had thought she had accepted him. He heard the sigh of his grandmother and looked at her curious, she had known Anna for a long time so maybe she had some advice.

"Yoh, she is confused. She is not used to people being so caring with her" the old lady said with a calm voice while she started to walk the way back to the house, "You are trying to get close but she needs some space, calm down and be yourself"

Yoh stayed at the waterfall thinking about the words of his grandmother. Maybe she was right, he had burst into Anna's life without prior notice and now was practically forcing her to have a relationship. He slapped himself, "You are really stupid when it comes about girls Yoh", he thought. Stood up and tracked down Anna, he had to apologize.

.

* * *

.

"Get lost! I want to be alone!"

Her sweet voice when she wanted to kill him, maybe he was a little insane for wanting her...

"Oh! So you finally figured it out! Congrats!" she said sarcastically.

"Don't be so rude…" he bowed without looking at her "I'm sorry"

Anna stared at him arms crossed, he didn't have to say it she could feel it and hear it on his mind. Kino's words were effective, he finally figured out she had never been close to anyone and wasn't used to people being nice, that was why she felt uncomfortable around his mother and never spoke during dinner at least not until someone asked her something directly. She was used to courtesy and formalities but not to real interest and care. Even when she checked that Yoh didn't have that kind of feelings for Tamao, she felt upset because that was opening the possibility of being close to him and she was scared… she was just too broken to accept those feelings and respond properly to them.

"Don't be so stupid"

"I'm sorry…"

"It's ok…" she muttered looking away. He raised his head when he heard it, she said it was ok? "Do I have to repeat it?!" she cried exasperated.

"Hehehe. No, you don't" he grinned, that meant she wasn't upset anymore.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not accepting an engagement"

"I know. And I don't expect you do… no yet. I will repair your broken heart and hear your answer when you are ready, even if you say no I will understand" he smiled warmly at her. She blushed and started the way back without saying a word. Yoh followed her in silence, he would not force her to say something, by now it was enough with being at her side.

.

* * *

.

The vacation period went over and they came back to Tokyo. Anna was a little disappointed about herself, even with the training she wasn't able to have a total control over reishi. Mrs. Kino had said it was because of the short period and suggested her to keep training day by day, but Anna was thinking it was not only a matter of training or not, it was the kind of training.

"So, it goes back to my parents…" she thought. At least the training was useful to gain new abilities, now she was able to call a lot of spirits and they were a valuable source of information. It was like building her own database with the knowledge of different people of different ages and places, now it would be easier to get some clues.

"Anna?"

She turned when she heard her name and perceived the presence of the short blond guy who was the best friend of Yoh and almost her boss.

"Oyamada"

"Wow. I can't believe we are studying at the same academy" he said with a soft laugh.

"We are since this year"

"Oh, I see" he started feeling nervous, Anna was a little intimidating, "Aaam. Well, Yoh told me about your problem and I suggested a change"

Anna didn't say a word, just listened carefully. Manta felt intimidated by her sight, so he hastened to deliver the whole message.

"You see, we have some trouble with other croupiers, they get bribed but we have never caught them on that…"

"So, you want me to be some kind of spy"

"Yeah, that's it. Same pay, less work and you don't have to be at the table with toxic people"

"Fine. I'm ok with―"

"Manta!"

"Oh c'mon!" thought Anna rolling her eyes. She knew they were at the same school but having almost the same schedule was the last straw. And there it was, her brown-haired stalker: Asakura Yoh. She didn't mind his company but seeing him all the summer was a lot and needed some rest at least at school for a couple days.

"Wow! Anna, we finally got a similar schedule!" he was excited to see her, last trimester they could barely see each other at dinner, they never had at school.

"Yay…" said Anna without emotion at all.

"C'mon I know you are happy of seeing me" he said with his usual big smile.

"I WAS happy of taking a rest of you…"

"But I'm a source of happiness anyway, right?"

"You are an idiot" she said without controlling the little smile that dared to appear on her face.

Yoh grinned. She was still using that facade of rough not-caring girl, but he knew she was starting to appreciate him. And he wouldn't give up until find out a solution for her problem.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

Hi reader! Well, I don't know what to think about this one so will be grateful for some opinions xd Thanks for reading, I hope to update soon. Special thanks to Sasou, Rozan-ji and AnnaAsakura12 for their support, thanks guys! Have a nice day/night!


	4. Chapter 4

**Starting Point**

.

"When did this happen?" ―thought Anna blaming her luck. She was fine with Yoh and recently Manta, but that stupid Yoh had to introduce her to his stupid friends. It's well known anencephaly it's not compatible with life but Horo and Ryu were almost a living proof of that being a lie, those two were non-brained and she could tell cause she could read minds… and those two were just too simple to have a brain in her opinion. This was the first time in her life someone was giving her headaches by his stupidity and not for his thoughts. She wanted to leave, but had promised her sensei to help her stupid grandson with school as thanks for the training. "Fucking promises" she whispered to herself.

"Ok. That's all for today." She stood up to leave, "We will continue at school Yoh"

"Wait! I still don't―"

"And you will never get it if you keep fooling around with your friends!" She was pissed. Two hours of her life wasted! Why? Just for Yoh's inability at being focused when his friends were around. "I don't like to waste my time!" She left the room with one of the worst moods he had ever seen in her.

"But you are a good teacher. I don't get a word of what Manta says!" he whined going after her.

"I don't care"

"I will do anything you want!" he begged. He had to pass the final tests or he would be at first year again the next period.

"I don't want anything from you". She kept walking, not looking back.

"That hurts, you know?" He forgot the tests with that answer. She was mean.

"Yes, I do" She smirked satisfied by her achievement.

"What about our plans after the tests? I can't go with you if I don't pass!"

She stopped, turned and glanced him frowning.

"Those are MY plans. You want to join them but I don't need you actually"

"It's dangerous to go alone!" Now he was upset, there was no way of him letting her go by her own.

"If you don't want me to go by myself, then take your books and start studying because I will go with or without you" she sentenced, turned again and resumed her path.

"Oh! I get it", he grinned, "You are doing this to be sure I will study"

Anna stumbled and almost fell when she heard his theory. Turned and throwed him her school bag right in the center of his forehead making him fall on his back.

"YOU IDIOT! LIKE IF I WERE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR ACADEMIC INCOMPETENCE!"

"Of course you do", he grinned still down in the ground.

"So, you accept your incompetence", Anna walked towards him and get her bag back to resume her path again.

"And you accept you care", Yoh sat down in the floor grinning.

"I DON'T CARE!", he was so… so damn annoying.

"Hey, your new girlfriend has temper issues"

Anna glanced at Horo and throwed her bag again, this time her victim stayed unconsciousness in the ground.

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

She get back her bag and resumed her path for the third time with a dense black aura surrounding her, every single human in the world would be smart enough to not be on her way. So Yoh knew it was better to let her go and talk the next day.

"Wow, she is moody", Ryu looked at Horo lying in the ground, "And really strong, she fits like your future wife Master Yoh"

"Hahaha. You think so?", Yoh asked a little ashamed by the comment, "But she hasn't accepted me yet, like she said: she is not my girlfriend"

"But you want her to be, don't you?", Ryu smiled mischievously and gave him a poke repeatedly, "Don't you?", Yoh just blushed and grinned without saying a word.

"I'm glad you are not marrying such a violent girl", Horo said standing up, "What was that of she doing a dangerous thing? I'm sure it's more dangerous for whoever unfortunate enough to cross with her"

"It's just…", Yoh thought about it for a minute, it was better not to give them details, "It's just a trip. She wants to go America after finishing this trimester"

"I see! So you, like the gentleman you are, don't want her to go by her own"

"Doesn't she had parents or someone to go with her?"

"No, she doesn't. That's why I want to go with her…", Yoh said with a sad smile, "So! Let's get some study!", he suddenly cheered up and went inside after punching to the sky. He ignored the grief faces of his friends and went into his room to focus and show her he was smart enough to pass the tests and get into his second year of high school.

.

* * *

.

"You see it! You see it, right?"

An excited Yoh was pointing to the board with the final tests results to an indifferent Anna.

"So what? Do you want a medal?", she said sarcastically, raising an eyebrow and arms crossed, "Studying is the unique responsibility you have. You should be ashamed to be passing with those grades!"

"… but I passed…" Yoh was now depressed, maybe she was right…

"Of course I'm right", she stated, "You should take it seriously, what will you do with your life?"

"Well…", he scratched the back of his neck and looked away. He had never thought about it seriously, he wanted to become Shaman King but now…

"You're hopeless", Anna sighed. How could she being apparently interested in someone like him?, "I guess I could feel sorry for you and give you work at my company one day if you don't screw it up"

Yoh looked at her surprised and then with a bright smile. That was her way of saying she wanted him in her future.

"That doesn't―"

"I know", his smile didn't vanish, "But it feels good to know at least you think on me in that future"

"I said _'I could feel sorry for you_ '. How is that thinking about you in a positive way?"

"It's your way"

"Really? You got me that wrong?"

"No, I think I got you right. And I'm your trip partner this March!", he said almost jumping on excitement.

"Yay me…" she said with no emotion at all and started to walk.

"C'mon I know you want to spend some time with me", Yoh walked by her side.

"Right! Like we don't see each other every day", palpable sarcasm on her voice.

"I'm sure you miss me when we don't see each other", Yoh crossed his arms at the back of his head, "I know cause I do miss you those days…", he added in a soft voice.

"And I'm still wondering why is that…", those feelings were still confusing and strange. But, by now, she knew both had the same feelings for each other, it was just too hard to admit it and say it out loud… no, it was scary, and she knew she was afraid of being hurt after accepting those feelings even when she knew Yoh was not capable of hurting her by now. And she was not sure of how to tell him or show him she cared, she just couldn't be nice with him, it was like the only way she had to get contact was slapping or hitting him.

"It's ok. When are we leaving?", he smiled warmly to her.

"Sometimes it's like if you were reading my mind", she muttered looking away.

Yoh laughed. It was nice to have that kind of moments with her.

.

* * *

.

"Yoh! Long time no see. How is all going?"

Anna looked at the man in the screen, so he was the _Patch_ Yoh had mentioned, and he had access to the memories of the Great Spirits.

"Hey, Silver!", Yoh smiled back at him, he noticed Silver glanced at Anna just for one second and he remembered they didn't know each other, "She is Anna, she is a friend of mine. We actually called you because we need help"

"What kind of help?"

"You can access the memories of great spirits, right?"

"Why do you need access to them?"

"Well… Anna needs some information about her family, she couldn't reach that info asking spirits so…"

"I see…", Silver closed his eyes and seemed to think about it for a few seconds, then he opened his eyes, "That's possible, but you have to come here, to the Patch Village. Our priestesses can show you, but they can't do it from this distance"

"Great! So, they will help?"

"Of course they will", Silver smiled at him, "They will do it just for a little donation to the Patch Tribe"

"A little…"

"…donation?"

"Business are business Yoh"

Yoh looked at Anna who had a twitch in her left eye, but she nodded biting her lips and clenching her hands on her lap. She didn't want to spend too much money but if it was supposed to help her then she had to do some sacrifices. So, they closed the deal and after a few days they took a plane to America, during the flight Yoh told her the story about he and his friends looking for the Patch Village at America. She had seen everything on his memories while he was telling the story but didn't interrupted him, he was enjoying remembering until he mentioned Hao, that's when he changed the subject. And she saw it, she saw it all, she felt the pain and guilt on Yoh's heart for losing a friend against him, and for all the people his brother killed during the tournament.

"You did your best… There are things we can't control"

"But, it was my fault for not training enough", he laughed softly and sadly, "Maybe if I had had someone like you by my side, I would have done better".

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah…", he scratched his neck and grinned with a little blush, "You know, I guess I would have never dared to disobey your orders"

"You ALWAYS disobey me… I say: _Go away and die_ , and you follow me. I say: _it's not of your business_ , and you insist to go on and travel with me to America"

Yoh laughed, maybe she was right, but he was sure she would have punished him hard if he dared to go against her will.

"Yeah, I guess that's true" she said in response to his thoughts.

.

* * *

.

"We just have to wait for Silver now"

Anna didn't answer, she was wondering about what was she supposed to do if they gave her some useful information… or maybe not so useful. What if she was just born with that curse and her parents were just normal people like her tutors? And those two were her godparents so, maybe her parents were just like them…

"Hey! Yoh!"

The voice of Silver took her from her thoughts. Yoh greeted him cheerfully and introduced them, they traveled together to the Village and arrived after a couple days. Anna thanked all the gods of the world when they finally arrived, she was getting sick of the friendly and apparently everlasting chat between Yoh, Amidamaru, Silver and all his guardian spirits. They had been talking for hours and hours even at night, she was so grateful to finally put an end to that journey.

"She is Ali, she is the priestess who will help you", Silver introduced the blue-eyed blond woman with toasted skin who greeted them with a big smile.

"This way"

She guided them to a cave with a big fire in the center. Yoh looked curiously at the fire, he thought it would be like the media the Patchs usually used to communicate, like the oracle bell or those TVs. Ali offered Anna a beverage, she took the recipient and looked at the content but didn't drink.

"That beverage will induce a dream, I will guide you through so you can find what you are looking for" Ali explained.

Anna knew because she had read it on her mind, but she didn't drink immediately because she was a little nervous. What if everything was in vain? What if she was just cheating herself and there wasn't a solution? What if…?

"Anna, c'mon. Everything will be ok"

She looked at Yoh's grin and sighed. He was right, they had traveled all the way from Japan to have some answers, even if those were not good that was progress. She drank and after a few minutes all became black around her, when she opened her eyes she was floating in the air with Ali by her side and the ocean at her feet.

"The ocean?"

Ali pointed to a near beach were a young woman was sitting on the sand, some silver locks were covering her face but Anna could see her amber, sadness-filled, eyes. The patch priestess floated near the woman and Anna followed her, she noticed the silver-haired lady could not see them.

"Aura!"

A blond man approached her running with a big smile on his face, that smile reminded her Yoh's everytime he smiled at her, the woman stood up surprised when she saw him, her eyes changed from sadness to joy as he came closer. He had a lot of wounds and his clothes were a mess, he looked like if he came from the battlefield but he was smiling broadly. He finally reached her and took her on his arms with a tight hug. She touched his face like if she couldn't believe he was there.

"You did it, you really did", she muttered smiling almost incredulous.

"Of course I did! I would rather to be dead than losing you!"

She punched him at his chest just in the middle of a wound, he winced in pain.

"You idiot! Don't you dare to say that again, if you die I follow you"

And there was when Anna realized that woman was her mother. She had the same attitudes with Yoh… wait, no, she was NOT in love with that dork! … Well, she was maybe not in love with that dork…

"And you had to punch me there to say that?!"

"Of course", Aura crossed her arms under her chest and smiled at him, he smiled her back and hugged her again.

"He said he will give us his bless", he kissed her forehead. Then touched her belly with a warm smile, "So, everything will be ok with us and our little princess"

The scene changed, they saw the same man who was now healthy and playing a ball game with a 5-year-old silver-haired girl on a big green yard with some trees around and a with a lodge close to their position, the little girl was the living portrait of her mother.

"But, that's not me" thought Anna now confused. Then she looked the woman walking towards father and daughter from the lodge with a plate on her hands, she was pregnant and the size of her belly told Anna she was about to give birth. She put the plate on a picnic table and they started their meal, the little girl was more focused on her mother's belly than in the food.

"Alex, Annie is asleep. Take your meal before your dad eats all of it", she said smiling tenderness to her daughter.

The dad opened his mouth but his words were silenced by another man appearing next to them. Both parents looked at him frowning, the mom took Alex into her arms and the dad stood up between the man and his family.

"What do you want here?" he asked roughly.

"C'mon can't I visit my sis?" the man said with a smirk.

"You visiting me? Don't make me laugh" she answered.

"Well, I have some news", his smirk grew wider, "Dad is gone, if you know what I mean"

Those news made them pale, they seemed terrified. And the man seemed pleased by their reaction.

"So, you better run", the man whispered into the ear of his brother in law, then laughed and disappeared as fast as he appeared.

All around changed again and now the mom, Alex and a blonde baby were at a single room apartment. Alex was playing with her sister and the mom was cooking at the american style kitchen. Aura suddenly stopped and glanced to the window, she rushed to her daugthers.

"Aldara", Aura said taking her baby on her arms and kissing Alex forehead. A red-haired young woman emerged from the shadow of the mother, she looked at her master with her big green eyes, "You are Alex guardian now"

"But Master!", Aldara protested with concern at her voice.

"Don't say a word", Aura had determination on her eyes, she had made the decision and she will not change her mind. Her guardian bowed solemn and nodded, she seemed to understand without words. Aura smiled at her, "Thanks for all this years", then she smiled to her older daughter, "Alex, you will go with Al and hide like your father taught you. Don't disobey her, no matter what"

"Why?", the little girl asked innocently. Her mother kissed her forehead and smiled.

"It doesn't matter why. Just remember I love you and your sister more than anything, including my own life", Aura said, "Now go with Al. I love you". With those words she gave the baby to Aldara and kissed the little blond head of Anna, "I love you Annie", she whispered to her baby-girl. "Al, keep them safe, please" Aldara nodded with some tears on her eyes, took both girls and ran. After they left, Aura rushed to the room and made an oversoul on a claymore sword, some onis appeared by her side and she ordered them to go check surroundings.

"So, they were shamans after all…" thought Anna, and wasn't sure about wanting to see what was next. Because it didn't seem like a nice story.

"She was brave" Ali said impressed by her power and ability to defend herself of such a numerous enemy, there were at least 20 shadows attacking her at the same time. The attack continued for an eternity, the shadows attacked her until she stopped moving, almost dead. Her husband walked in minutes later, the shadows vanished when he looked at his wife, he ran and took her into his arms, tears welled from his eyes as he begged her not to leave.

"I have no time left…" she said with an almost inaudible voice "The girls…"

He nodded still crying.

"I love you" he kissed her softly. She smiled and told him the same with her eyes, then she closed them and clenched his hand for the last time.

One shot. Just one shot at the head from behind, the man who menaced him some time ago shot once with his oversoul and the father was dead.

"I'm sorry. But you won't see your girls again Luka" the man laughed and made fun of them "You idiots, you knew my specialty is hide my essence and you stay there saying good bye to each other like if you had time"

"Who the hell is that guy?!" both Anna and Ali exclaimed. Apparently, he was Aura's brother but he was despicable. He just hid and attacked from the back.

The scenario changed again, this time little Alex was crying next to her little sister's crib.

"I promise…" she sobbed "I will be strong, I will find you. Just wait for me"

"Miss Alexandra" Aldara emerged from her shadow and stood next to her with a sad smile "They are here. Don't worry, I'm sure they are good people and will take care of Annie, I will stay with you. I will never leave you alone, we will look for her together when you are older"

And that was all. Anna looked around, she was at the cave again with Ali and Yoh. Then she closed her eyes trying to process everything she had just saw, it was… it was not the way she thought it could had been. She didn't get a last name or a city or something helpful, but after her summer training she gained the ability to call spirits so maybe…

"Anna? It's everything ok?"

She opened her eyes and met Yoh's. Her mind was now a tangle of thoughts, but she was ok. Her goal had changed now, now it isn't about finding her parents but about finding her sister.

 _ **To be continued...**_

* * *

Hi there! It took me some time to update, but I did it! Thank you all for reading, speacially sasou, Rozan-ji, AnnaAsakura12, S.D.P and Nana, I thank you all for your reviews! And S.D.P don't worry if it gets long, it gives me a good idea about what you think so thanks a lot!

My apologies for the grammar crimes I could commit at this point, it's my first time writing in english and I'm doing my best to reduce those crimes.

Reviews are helpful to write so don't contain and just say what you have to say xP Thanks again for reading, hope to update soon. Have a nice day/night! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Together**

 **.**

Anna told him the story when they left the Patch Village and were heading to the airport, and she didn't say another word after that. Yoh gave her space, he knew it was hard to find out you have a brother, a sister in Anna's case, that girl Alex should be on her 20s by now, and was probably looking for Anna. If she was like her little sister, then she was working or studying or both that was for sure. Maybe she was waiting to have more financial stability or…

"Or maybe she just forgot her promise"

Yoh glanced at Anna, they were at the plane now, she said that with her usual tone but he noticed than the whole thing was affecting her. Anna snorted with a little blush on her cheeks. "How can he be so observing when he is such an idiot?", she thought.

"Maybe she is trying hard but she doesn't have the media to reach you"

"If that's the case then she is a loser cause I'm younger and I have the media to travel around the world", she stated eyes closed, "And… maybe they killed her too".

Yoh's eyes wide opened, he didn't think about that possibility. Silence was present once again, until he dared to ask, but she read it and answered before he could open his mouth.

"I just learned how to call spirits, so I need a lot of information about the one I'm calling and I don't have enough from them"

"But―"

"I tried and couldn't reach them…", she looked through the window and didn't say another word. Yoh respected her silence and tried to focus on his music to not disturb her with his thoughts.

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* * *

.

They were arriving at her place when she finally spoke again.

"Do you think… should I look for her?"

Yoh smiled at her warmly, this was the first time her facade was completely down and she was showing herself just like the confused girl she was at this moment. He felt privileged for being so fortunate to see this side of Anna. She glared at him with her face all red, he laughed and apologized for his thoughts. They entered the small apartment, she boiled some water and they sat down to take a coffee. Seconds later someone knocked the door, both smiled, it was obviously Hikari.

Anna opened the door and the little girl looked at her with swollen eyes, it was obvious she had been crying. The blonde invited her in when she saw what happened on her mind, her mother was supposed to arrive hours ago but there were no signs from her. The little girl had called her mother's job and cell phone but didn't get an answer.

Yoh offered Hikari a soda and asked what happened, Anna heard the story now from her mouth.

"It's the first time she is late?", Yoh asked.

"No, but she always calls me", Hikari said sadly.

"Excuse me", Anna stood up with her beads on one hand and left the apartment. She looked around and when she was sure no one was looking, called some spirits to look for her neighbor. She was doing it for the girl not for the mom, that harpy treated her like if she was a delinquent just because she lived for her own and worked at the Tokyo's. She went back to her apartment and had to contain a smile when she saw Yoh drawing and storytelling to Hikari. "He is so sweet sometimes", her mind betrayed her with that thought.

Hikari finally got asleep and there were no news about her mother. Yoh and Anna kept talking about it, maybe the woman had an accident or something like that.

"Miss Anna", one of the spirits she had sent returned with news, "I found her, she is at the general hospital. Apparently, someone robbed her and they can't identify her at the hospital".

"Good job. Thanks, you can go now" she sent him back to the other world and called to the hospital. The woman was unconsciousness and with severe injuries.

.

* * *

.

"I don't think it's a common robber. I think this is about a psychopath, her injuries are too serious for just take her phone away", the doctor told her while Hikari was having breakfast with Yoh at the hospital cafeteria, "I'm glad you called. We had no clue about her, she was left just with her clothes".

Anna wasn't paying attention to the doctor's words but was paying attention to his thoughts, Hikari's mother was found almost dead. If it wasn't for the anonymous man who called an ambulance, she would be recognizing a body and not asking by her health. And by the way her wounds looked you could almost say she wasn't attacked by a human or at least not a common one. After the doctor's report, they called Hikari's grandmother who lived at Tokyo's outskirts and stayed with her until the woman arrived to take care of her granddaughter.

"So you are that girl!", the old lady seemed surprised, "My daughter said you were almost a delinquent, but I see you and your boyfriend are pretty decent people", she smiled, "I'm glad. You are such a nice couple. Ok, Hikari say bye"

"He is not―"

"Bye!", Hikari interrupted cheerfully. She and her grandmother ignored Anna's last intend of comment and left them at the entrance of the hospital.

Yoh looked away smiling broadly, she could not deny they looked like a couple.

"Shut up", she said rolling her eyes pissed. Yoh giggled and then smirked at her, "Do not tempt your luck, Yoh", she started her way to the station and Yoh walked by her side.

"So, what do you think about her attacker?", he asked now serious.

"I think it wasn't just a robber", she said taking her chin with her hand in a thoughtful manner.

"Yep, it wasn't just a robber. It was my prey"

Yoh and Anna startled. They didn't feel the presence of the owner of that voice, they turned and saw a middle age man dressed in sports clothes, the hood of his black sweatshirt didn't allow them to see his eyes. Anna perceived he was telling the truth, he was a _specialist_ a man who hunts demons or spiritual eccentricities, his prey was a demon sent by a sort of witch hired by the ex-husband of the woman. "So Hikari's dad is insane and that's why she didn't call him", thought Anna.

"She had been pursued by that demon for long ago so she hired me to finish it, but I was late this time. I think it could follow the kid now, so I could use a little help since you are shamans"

Yoh and Anna looked each other in astonishment. This was their first time talking to that man and he was asking something like that like if he knew them from long ago.

"Well, of course it will not be for free. I've travelled a lot and got a lot of contacts, maybe you could use some information", he added with a smirk.

"How…?", Anna silenced herself when she read it on his thoughts. He knew about her, he had studied every single person around the woman to do his job properly. He was honest, if they helped he would share everything he knew. Anna told Yoh, and they accepted.

.

* * *

.

"What the hell was I thinking?!", both of them had the same thought at the same time. It wasn't a common demon, it was an eccentricity born from the hate of the ex-husband and taking the form of an every-second-growing demon. The problem wasn't his strength the problem was that it was giant and appeared in a neighborhood full of innocent families, so they couldn't fight properly just to protect all the people around. Plus, everytime Yoh cut it that monster divided itself, so yes, they were screwed.

"Stop cutting it! Damn!" she yelled covering him with a spell so he wasn't ripped by its claws.

"I use a sword and my guardian is a samurai, what the hell do you want me to do?!" he yelled her back, now protecting her from a back attack.

"Don't you have something else?! C'mon you are the Asakura clan's heir!" she insisted, now making a barrier to protect both.

"I have an idea, but you have to kiss me to make it work" he said seriously.

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT NOW!" she roared, c'mon using a cheap trick like that? And at THIS moment?! Really?!

"I'm serious!" he said helping her with the barrier. She looked at him incredulous, he was serious? And she heard his thoughts... yes, he was serious and he had a plan…

"You kidding me?!" she raised an eyebrow.

"This is not a demon it's an eccentricity born from hate so…"

"Don't you think than if it sees us doing it his rage could increase?" she asked frowning.

"I don't care, at least I will die after kissing you" he said, and he was serious, "Do you have another idea?"

And no, she had not, would something like that work? Really? How could Yoh be so serious with that?

"That's a great idea Yoh!", the _specialist_ who had asked for help appeared then, "Try it and I will do my thing", he said grinning.

"I can't keep a barrier and kiss him!" she protested with burning cheeks.

"Don't worry about it, I will keep it", the man stood in front of her and make a new barrier, "See? Now do it".

"I don't want to give him my first kiss like this!"

"Like this? So, you were thinking about giving me your first kiss anyway" Yoh said with red cheeks and a big smile.

"I didn't say that!" she exclaimed, her cheeks still burning.

"We are facing a monster, almost facing death, and you still can't recognize you like me" he said frowning at her.

"This is not the right moment, Yoh" she answered frowning back.

"Then when will be the _right moment_?"

"Why are you forcing me to say something?! You have never told out loud what you feel!" she turned, arms crossed.

"C'mon you can read my mind! You can READ MY MIND! You obviously have the advantage here!" he cried out raising his arms exasperated.

"I don't know how to say it or show it!" she cried out in the same attitude.

"I don't know either!"

"Then why are you pressing me?!", she turned and faced him again.

"Because I want to know if I have a chance!" he said with a small plea tone.

"Of course you have chance! You idiot, I wouldn't be wasting my time with you if that wasn't the case!"

They kept looking each other directly in the eyes, breathing hard because of their argument.

"Nice job kids!", the man smiled at them waving a paper seal with some red inscriptions, "That was true, intense, teen love! Too much for that guy"

Anna and Yoh looked around and then the seal on his hands, they got it immediately and glared at the man like if they were about to kill him. He planned to use them that way since he talked to them at the hospital.

"Hahaha, I'm sorry. But you were the only couple I had by hand", he put the seal on his pocket and approached them, "What about a coffee? I have to pay you, right?", he winked and grinned.

.

* * *

.

"That woman Aldara emerged from her shadow?", he blinked incredulous, "I can't believe you are a descendant from them!"

"From who?" Yoh asked.

"The Svartdis clan", he kept looking at Anna like if he couldn't believe it, "Oh god! I can't believe you are a descendant from them!"

"What about them?", Anna asked raising an eyebrow, he kept thinking " _Oh my god! I can't believe she is their descendant!"_ over and over again.

"Oh! I'm sorry, hahaha. This is just… exciting!", he took off his hood and looked at Anna with his bright blue eyes. Yoh frowned at him, why was he looking at her like that? "Well, you see. Have you heard about vampires?"

"Were they vampires?!" Yoh and Anna exclaimed astonished.

"Of course not, don't be idiots", he said raising an eyebrow, "Female vampires can't give birth, so you can't be a vampire's daughter. Plus, you don't need to drink blood, right? And if you need then you have a problem, girl"

"So, what about vampires then?" Yoh asked frowning at him for calling them idiots.

"Vampires are just another class of demon, it's not like those stupid movies about light-shining vampires", he said frowning pissed, "Anyway people on that clan were specialist on using demons as their guardians. At the middle Ages they used to be vampire hunters but, at some point, they started _taming_ vampires and using them like guardians the same way they used other demons to fight"

"So that woman Aldara…" Anna said thoughtfully.

"Yes! She was a vampire and your mother's guardian", he said grinning, "And now is your sister's guardian…", his smile vanished then.

Anna caught his thoughts and look down at her coffee. So that was what happened then…

"Thanks…", she stood up ready to leave. Yoh looked at her confused, had she read something that made her upset? "I will explain you at my place".

"Wow, lucky boy! You will stay at her place" the man said raising both eyebrows with a mischievous smile on his face. Both teenagers blushed and glared at him, "Hehehe, just kidding, take it easy", he stood as well, "Anyway, I heard she wanted to find someone. That someone must be you, I hope everything turns fine for all of you. Good luck and thanks for the help" he bowed as goodbye and they did the same, then they left the service station and went to Anna's place. It was about middle night when they arrived, Yoh was getting nervous this was the first time he was spending night with her… alone with her.

"You can't remember I can read your mind, right?", she said raising an eyebrow with arms crossed. Yoh laughed nervous, "Well, he remembered a story he had listened some time ago…", she said sitting at the bed.

"And that story was about your sister, right?" Yoh said sitting next to her. She closed her eyes and nodded. She tilted her head back still with closed eyes, remembering the memories of that man.

"He heard this story from a colleague:

There was a revolution at the Svartdis family about 3 years ago. A girl who was kicked off the clan because of her mother's betrayal and who had been pursued by her own blood for years, finally get tired of running and appeared in front of the clan's head after 13 years, she was a young woman by then. She asked him about her little sister, but he said he had no idea about her, she realized he had been honest so she tried to leave serenely without saying a word. She disagreed, just like her mother, with the politics of the clan's head but she wasn't part of it so just left.

But the clan's head thought she was a menace for him, just like his sister before, so he sent his people to get rid of her… But she was stronger and she was angry with all of them…"

"She…" Yoh started and Anna nodded, Alex had killed all of her pursuers.

"After a few days, some people of the clan appeared in front of her just to talk. They didn't like the leader's methods either, but they were not strong nor brave enough to defiant him, the only one who had been brave enough to stand against him was her deceased mother and he killed her and her husband, he also sealed her soul god knows where like a warning for any other who dared to go against him. They asked her to face that man and claim the leadership of the clan, like her mother was supposed to do, she accepted to help but refused to become clan's head. The leader ran after his defeat, and she couldn't recover her parents' souls, but she left saying she had to find someone…"

"… she is alive then" he said smiling to her. Anna opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, he never thought or mentioned anything like reishi, but her mother was using onis and the clan was specialized on demons… She sighed and fell on the bed, all that situation turned out more complex than she expected.

"Should I look for her when she is already looking for me?", she asked out loud.

"You know what I think" Yoh shrugged and smiled at her. She smiled back and made him blush, that was one of her special smiles.

"I think we have an unfinished conversation", she said still smiling at him. He blushed even more when he remembered her words during their earlier argument. She sat again and sighed, "I'm still wondering why you haven't run away and why you broke your engagement with such a sweet girl just for me…"

"That's because… well, I don't know… I just… I just like you" he said looking down feeling as if his heart was going to come out of his chest.

"What if your grandfather is right and you go over me in a few months?" she asked looking down.

Yoh raised his sight to see her face. Was all about that? She was just scared, that was all! He knew he got her right when she blushed and turned giving him her back. He laughed loudly, she glared at him and was about to slap him when he raised his hands to stop her.

"C'mon, who could ever forget you? You are unique!", he said still laughing. She didn't have to ask if he really thought that because she knew he was honest, "I couldn't forget you even if I tried. And we have been seeing each other since last year's Goldeen Week, that's almost a year! My grandpa is all wrong"

"… I guess that's right…", she muttered looking at her hands on her lap.

"Yeah, that's right. So, you said I have a chance, but you don't know how to show you care…"

"You didn't want to say _care_ ", she frowned at him. He giggled, it was nonsense to say something different from his thoughts, "Yes, it is", she stated.

"I don't know how to show you either… So, what if we learn together?", he smiled warmly and offered his hand to her. She looked at his face and then his hand for a few seconds, then she grasped the hand he had offered in silence. He squeezed her hand and dared to kiss her forehead, she seemed shocked at first but she raised her free hand when she recovered. Yoh closed his eyes tight and prepared himself to receive the slap, but it never came, he opened his eyes surprised when he felt her hand on his face and her lips pressing his cheek. Then he couldn't control himself, took her face with his free hand and kissed her softly, she paralized but didn't reject him.

"I told you. You are a good teacher Anna" he said softly, still touching her face with a warm smile at his face.

.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

Hi there! I got this one faster than I expected, a little romance it's not bad I guess. Just want to make clear something: they had meet at Golden Week that's April-May, and they are now at their spring break that is March so poor Yoh had to wait almost a year for her to accept his and her feelings even if I summarized it in just 5 chapters xd But there is still a long way to go for him, you'll see. I think maybe my imagination went a little far, but I guess that's cause I got influenced by the Monogatari series though... Anyway hope you liked it!

Thank you all for reading, I'm working on the next one. Special thanks to Sasou, AnnaAsakura12 and S.D.P for their continuous support. About Anna's sis, she will stay in the shadows by now, but I hope you like her when she shows up :)

For all readers I hope you keep reading! I won't bite you if you give your opinion so don't be afraid and say what you have to say xd Have a nice day/night! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Study day**

 **.**

"C'mon, Anna! We should be out enjoying our last spring vacations days" Yoh whined with a pout on his face, he hated math's and he hated to study on his vacation period.

"I don't care if you hate it! There will be tests the first week and you have to pass them at the first try", she stated severely.

"Why?", he looked at her with puppy eyes. He wanted to go out with her now she was free at work.

"You are with me now, don't you?", she said in response to his thoughts, "And you have to pass because that's the only way you will not be doing recovery tests the whole trimester"

"But… Can't we take a break from study and go out?", he said still with puppy eyes, "Rest is part of learning, right?"

Anna thought about it for a few minutes. Well, he was right about rest and he solved almost all the math problems correctly so maybe they could take a little break to go outside.

"Solve the last one and we'll go out if you get the right answer", she stated pointing at his notebook. He sighed in resignation, she was so strict. "You need someone strict around or you will never learn how to be responsible", she added reading his thoughts.

"At least you could give me some motivation…", he thought.

"I will if you solve it properly. Now focus", she frowned at him. He was just like a child when it came to study.

Yoh sighed again and started solving the problem she had pointed. Anna focused on her book again, she was studying as well, but she was studying a book about European mythology, if her sister's guardian was a vampire then maybe she could get some clues about her if she studied about vampires.

 _"_ _It's said than they can change their shape at will and read other's thoughts so they can control and manipulate their victim. Also, they have a skill that is colloquially called charisma, that ability allows them to control anyone of the opposite sex attracting them and, eventually, make them their subordinates. But one ability that it's not so well known it's the Energy Drain, their fangs can not only bite to drink blood and convert someone into a vampire but also can drain the vital energy of other creatures leaving them helpless or even dead…"_

"So the mind reading is also a vampire's ability… but I'm not a vampire…" Anna thought. She closed the book and focused on Yoh who was still trying to solve the problem… and he was doing it wrong. She sighed and stood up, "Ok. It's enough. I'm bored so let's go out"

There were no need of more words to Yoh who almost jumped to stood up, he rushed to the door and waited for Anna outside the apartment. She blinked, it took him like 2 seconds to go out, he was really stressed then… but she didn't perceive it properly, she felt his stress but thought it was the same as usual when they were studying. He looked at her from the door like a dog waiting for its master to go for walk, she had to suppress a smile when she did the comparison and imagined him with a waving dog's tail. Anna looked for the keys and joined him outside.

"Where are we going?", he asked excited.

"I don't know. Where do you want to go?", she said checking the door was closed, "The park?", she looked at him suppressing her smile when she perceived his thoughts… "Just like a dog today...", she thought. Then she realized he wanted to go there and see the cherry blooms with her.

"Yep", he took her hand and she froze, "It's ok. Nobody there will recognize us, you don't have to worry about other people", he said with a big smile.

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* * *

.

"Wow, you are finally dating! Congrats!" Ryu congratulated them with a big smile when he saw them holding hands at the bridge crossing the pond. Anna released the hand of Yoh when she realized Ryu was not alone, Tamao, Manta and Horo were there as well. She knew Yoh's ex-fianceé was about to start highschool the next trimester... at their school, but she wasn't ok with rubbing on her face the relationship she had with Yoh now.

"It's gonna be ok", he thought with his usual big smile. She glared at him, how could it be ok?! Then she heard it, Tamao was happy for him even if that meant to lose him... Yoh took Anna's hand again and smiled warmly, she looked away and blushed, but didn't try to escape from his hand again, and didn't slap him because his friends being there was just a coincidence, nothing planned. They left them after a trivial chat, Ryu was thinking they were a nice couple. "He is not so stupid after all", Anna thought looking him walk away with the others.

"Did you find something at your book?", he asked. She shook her head looking at her reflection on the water. "Uh. Where were they from?"

"Europe… but where exactly I don't know"

"Well, I was thinking about it and―"

"Why you didn't say it before?!", she frowned at him with a pout she couldn't control. How could she not thought about that?! Maybe her hate against her tutors was too much so she closed them like a source of information...

"Hahaha. I didn't say it actually", he scratched the back of his head, amused by her facial expression. "It came to me last night I forgot to tell you this morning, sorry"

"Never mind", she recovered her usual face, "Tomoe will come tomorrow, she is the one who visits me from Social Services. Maybe she can tell me something"

"When do you receive those visits?", he asked surprised. He had never seen that Tomoe in the 10 months they had been seeing each other.

"She comes at the end of every trimester or during the corresponding vacation period. She came when I asked you to not go my place at summer, at the winter vacation the same week you went to your parent's and now she is visiting me tomorrow"

"I see…", he bit his lower lip and moved in his place anxious. She sighed and looked at him raising an eyebrow, he smiled at her like a boy asking for a candy, she sighed again with resignation.

"Fine", she said rolling her eyes. Raised one finger with an authoritarian attitude, "But you must behave properly"

"Of course! I always do", he said smiling broadly.

"…"

"…"

"But you must behave properly", she repeated eyes closed.

"I have been a gentleman who waited 10 months for a single kiss… If that's not ' _behave properly_ ' I don't know what it is…" he said narrowing his eyes.

"By ' _behave properly'_ I mean: Don't you dare to say her you have stayed at my place or than we have traveled together, the two of us alone. Got it?", she crossed her arms under her chest and looked at him serious.

"Oh! Right, those things could give you some trouble" he said snapping fingers. Then blushed and looked at her questioningly, she blushed back and looked away.

"You haven't asked me that", she turned to start walking.

"I'm asking now", he stopped her grasping her wrist, "Do you want to be… Do you… I mean, will you… No, that's not the way..."

Anna observed him moving nervous and anxious, trying to say it out loud but the words didn't come out of his mouth. She was amused to see the relaxed, easy-going Yoh, so nervous and tense. He finally shut and stopped moving ashamed for not being able to say it.

"You are so lucky I can read you mind", she said softly, "I know what you want to say"

"So…?", he looked at her still ashamed. He was a dork when it came to girls.

"You are a dork Yoh, not just with girls"

"That's mean…", he protested frowning at her.

"I know", she smiled. Then made him froze when she put her hand on his neck, approached her mouth to his ear and whispered with a soft voice, "But, you are MY dork. And you know what I say to your question".

"Ahem. Can I have a minute with you Anna?"

She pushed Yoh away when she heard that voice. Anna turned and faced the woman who was supposed to visit her the next day… but couldn't explain why she didn't feel her presence approaching or why she couldn't perceive her thoughts… "Why?…", she asked herself on her mind, then looked at Yoh who was getting up off the ground " _It will take some time for her to show me love in public I guess…"_ that's what he was thinking… and she could hear it, so why…

"Can I have a minute or not?", the woman smiled at her apparently amused by her attitude, "Don't worry. You deserve a boyfriend, don't you?"

"I will tell him about our conversation anyway. Let's talk here" Anna said giving her a suspicious look.

"Wow. You are serious with him. Congrats!", she smiled and closed her eyes.

"I thought you were coming tomorrow… How did you know I was here?" Anna asked trying to hide than she knew that wasn't Tomoe.

The woman opened her eyes still smiling at her and walked closer.

"I see you are a smart girl. Well, I guess it's nonsense to keep this shape"

Yoh and Anna's eyes and mouth wide opened when the black-haired woman transformed herself into a young black-haired man. He had bright brown hypnotic-eyes than made her down her defenses, he was as hypnotic as Yoh's when he was close. Yoh noted she was not as usual so grasped her hand firmly and kept her by his side.

"Don't be afraid kiddo. I won't take her apart from you", the man laughed, "I came to warn the two of you"

"Warn us from what?", Yoh said roughly.

"Wow. Take it easy, boy! Hahaha. I have 300 years so she is like a baby for me, relax!", the man stirred Yoh's hair under the pissed look of the shaman, then he walked a few steps back still smiling, "Well, my boss is looking for your girlfriend so be careful. Miss Alexandra is… well, she is a little bit broken right now… and she is not even close to find you and I can't tell her I found you fir―"

"Wait! You are a―" Anna started but was interrupted by him.

"YES!", he smiled triumphantly and pointed to himself with his thumb, "But I can't tell you my name because they could find out I'm a spy. Anyway, as I was saying I can't tell her I found you first cause I don't have a chance to escape again for a while so be careful until she… is un-broken and shows up", with that said he bent down preparing to jump.

"Does he know―?"

"No, he doesn't. Farewell", he grinned and jumped. The impact made Anna and Yoh fall backwards, when they recovered and could stand again the guy was gone.

"What did he mean by _broken?_ " thought Anna.

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* * *

.

"Ok. Enough!", she stared in front of him with hands on her hips, "You can't be jealous for that!"

Yoh narrowed his eyes and looked away, his lower lip protruded in a sulky pout and he had a light blush on his cheeks, she seemed hypnotized by that guy minutes ago, she had never looked at him that way.

"I have, it's just that you haven't noticed", she replied to his thoughts, "And that's a natural ability of vampires, it's called _charisma_ , the book says it if you don't believe me"

"Have you? When?", he looked at her curious. How is it possible he didn't notice?

"It's not my problem that you are so distracted. I'm your girlfriend now, you should pay more attention on me" she turned with eyes closed and resumed her path.

Yoh looked at her from behind, still processing what she had just said.

"You are so slow…"

A bright smile appeared on his face as rushed to be at her side and take her hand, she had said yes after all. She seemed to be a little ashamed by the contact she wasn't used to, but didn't escape from his touch, it was still hard to be so close but she liked it, she had to accept she loved him.

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* * *

.

Anna left the bed still sleepy, went to the bathroom and checked her reflection like every morning. She picked up her hair and could not help thinking that she hadn't pay real attention to her reflection lately. Looked at her body with attention, she had grown a lot in the last year and didn't notice until now. Of course, she had bought new clothes but never realized than was buying larger sizes until that moment. Her body was closer to an adult woman's than a girl's now, she was taller and her breast had grown, her waist was narrower and her hips more pronounced.

"It's not bad I guess", she said to herself still checking her reflection, "I think Yoh hasn't thought about it… or maybe not in front of me. Should I check it?" those were her thoughts when walked away from the mirror to take a shower. After a few minutes was ready to have breakfast. Her meal was interrupted by the door, she felt Yoh's presence outside so she opened.

"I'm surprised you came this early", she said returning to her spot to resume her meal.

"I didn't want to be late", he said with a grin.

"Did you have breakfast?"

He nodded and took the book she had been looking yesterday. She closed her eyes and an imperceptible smile appeared on her lips, he was checking the ' _charisma_ thing' she had told him, so even a relaxed guy like him could be jealous after all. He kept reading and she kept eating on a comfortable silence, he raised his sight once in a while to look at her thinking about her beauty and about how incredible was finding someone like her to fill that empty spot on his heart.

Anna did her best effort to ignore his thoughts and not blush, until she heard him thinking about the blue dress she was wearing that day and " _"how it's posibble she is even more gorgeous with each passing day?"_ , that's when she frowned feeling all her blood was flowing to her face. So, he was like any other boy and think about that kind of stuff as well. " _How would she look…"_

SLAP!

"You are not being a gentleman now!", she glared at him with her face all red. Yes, he was a man after all.

"Sorry!", he rubbed his swollen cheek. He usually controlled that kind of thoughts around her but this time he wasn't listening to music nor talking so he couldn't do it.

Silence again, she cleaned the table and he focused on the book. After a few minutes, he stopped reading and glanced at her now sitting at the desk. What was she writing?

"I'm trying to draw the face of that man, the one who killed my parents. He is looking for me according to that guy yesterday".

He stood and looked at her draw. Wow, she was good!

"It's not even close to his face", she said frowning and with her inferior lip on a grimace of frustration. He giggled, she was so perfectionist.

Someone knocked the door, Yoh moved to open but she stopped him and pointed to the table. He understood immediately: the one at the door was the woman she was expecting, he obeyed and sat at the table while she opened the door. The woman greeted cheerfully as she entered the small apartment.

"Hey! You are prettier everytime we see each other. It seems you are doing great as always", she stopped when she saw Yoh, then looked back at Anna with a mischievous smile, "So, you are REALLY doing great".

Tomoe was a young woman around 30 years old, she was cheerful and always smiling. Her black hair reached her shoulders and her brown eyes smiled as well, she was a nice person. After she asked some questions about them and then some others to complete her report Anna asked her about her tutors and her non-biological parents.

"I thought you didn't want news about them", she said surprised by the question.

"Yeah… But I guess I can't hate them all my life…" Anna said trying to convince herself more than convince Tomoe.

"Well… I read all your files when I was assigned to you. And they were your godparents, they became responsible of you when your adoptive parents passed away…", she said looking carefully at Anna. She didn't know if the blonde was aware about she as an adopted child.

"I find out I was adopted and want to know about my real parents"

"Well, if that's the case… They adopted you when they were at Austria, she was Austrian and he was Japanese. They passed away on a car accident when you were about 1 year old""

"So…"

"I don't know if you are Austrian too, but you were adopted there", she said with a sad smile, "I'm sorry I can't tell you more. But that's a clue, isn't it?"

Anna thanked her and Tomoe left after a few more questions. She sat next to Yoh to drink tea when they were left alone.

"Well, now you know where are they from", Yoh said smiling at her.

"Mmm. But me being there doesn't mean they were Austrian though. Maybe Aldara just ran far away with us and she finally arrived at that country", Anna was thoughtful about it. How far could a vampire run in a few hours?

"What about that guy yesterday, where was he from?"

"I don't know", she shrugged, "I couldn't perceive his thoughts. I've heard about people who can _'block'_ their thoughts, maybe he could do that"

"Do you think I could learn that?", he asked surprised. She looked at him frowning, why? Had he something to hide? Her eyes softened after hearing his thoughts: "Don't look at me like that, Anna. I have nothing to hide, but I know you maybe want some silence occasionally"

"Maybe… But I don't want you to learn", she stated crossing her arms under her chest, "Because if you do you could relax and forget about solving my problem"

"It's that or you just want to keep control over me", he smiled playfully because he knew the real reason.

"Don't be silly. I won't get insomnia for not knowing what are you thinking", she replied eyes closed and then drank from her tea.

"Yeah, sure", he said in the same playful tone. He was tempting his luck, but he would survive two slaps on a day.

"From stalker to masochist. Wow, your evolution is remarkable" she said sarcastically. He giggled amused, she would never let him have the last word, not even in his own mind, "That's not true, you never shut up your mind so I would have to talk all day when we are together"

"Hahaha. You see? You always want to have the last word" he said amused. She clenched her lips and frowned at him, she didn't say a word just for not giving him reason. And he laughed because he knew why she was silent now.

Anna stood, walked to her desk, took a notebook and a pencil from it and put them in front of Yoh.

"Your math exercises were so awful yesterday than my eyes almost bleed, you will start from zero today"

Yoh cursed himself for provoking her, even her slaps were better than her study program.

.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

.

Hi there! Thank you all for reading, special thanks to Nana, S.D.P., sasou and AnnaAsakura12 for your continuous support. I hope not to disappoint you with this chapter, I didn't expect those reactions with the previous chapter though xD But thank you so much for letting me know what you think, I really appreciate it :)

Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome so let me know what you think. Thanks again and have a nice day/night! :D


	7. Chapter 7

**Black Mist**

 **.**

Why would she be broken? Was she emotionally broken like herself or just for a recent event? Or maybe he meant broken like physically injured… That guy said he was a spy and then the clan's leader was after her, but why her? Revenge against his sister and niece? Yes, it should be something like that. But revenge for what? The _specialist_ the other day said that her mother had betrayal the family… What did she do? She didn't seem like a bad… Anna shook her head it was impossible for her to know what kind of person was her mother, she just saw her taking care of her daughters like any other mother would do at that situation.

"Anna!"

She turned and saw Yoh and Manta walking to the casino as well. The smiling boys reached her and greeted like always, the three of them entered the place, the guys chatting and she walking by their side at silence. The place was full like every weekend, Anna was grateful to not be at the tables anymore, the mental toxicity was huge those days. Now her job was to accompany Manta on his rounds and find out if someone was lying or hiding something from him, Yoh walked with them of course.

After a few rounds, they were done by that shift so they stayed at the staff office waiting for the next personal rotation. Manta was aware about her story and they gave him the details from the past two days.

"What did he mean by _broken_?" Manta asked.

"I was thinking about that as well", Anna was looking at the ceiling with arms crossed, "But he didn't seem to be worried, so it's maybe nothing. Maybe she just got dumped or something like that"

"I see…" Manta looked down, he wanted to help but didn't know how. It was just the same than in the Shaman Fight.

"You have done a lot giving me a break from the tables…", she sounded as cold as always and didn't look at him, but both guys looked at her deeply moved and eyes wide opened. Was she trying to make him feel better? Both knew that was her way of saying thanks. "C'mon, don't tell you are going to cry by that", she frowned at them for a second and then looked at ceiling again ignoring their giggles.

Anna's thoughts were back to that girl Alex, she didn't have a clue about her and was wondering why she was so curious about her. Maybe she wouldn't even like her… and she could be dangerous according to the memories of that specialist of the other day. What if Anna offended her and Alex got upset? She was obviously stronger…

"Kyoyama, I need your report", the manager took her off her thoughts. She told him everything she had heard, the man took some notes and then looked at her serious, "I'm grateful by your services here. I asked Mr. Oyamada, and we think you have done enough. I'm sorry but you are fired", he bowed respectfully, "Thank you very much by your hard work", he left without another word.

"Manabe, wait!" Manta was about to run after the manager when Anna stopped him.

"It's ok. I know why was that", she had read his thoughts. Anna explained Manta and Yoh than the casino had received some complaints for a teenager working there and they didn't want to mess up casino's reputation, that was something she saw coming long ago, it was a matter of time.

She left with Yoh by her side. He was more concerned than her by the situation and his thoughts were making her feel dizzy.

"Yoh… please…"

"Oh! I'm sorry", he said scratching his head, "But I can't help with that. Will you be ok?"

"Of course. I just have to find another part time job", she shrugged with her eyes closed, "and I saved a lot of money working there", she perceived he was still worried and sighed, "Yoh, this is not the hardest thing I've been through. It's just a job"

He nodded, now he was thinking about her past, they haven't talked about her life after leaving Osore and why she emancipated from them.

"They were afraid of me… And they used to hit me… that was because they couldn't handle I was… how to say it?... So talented"

Yoh clenched his hands in rage. How could they do that to her?! She was tough but her body was as fragile as any other girl. She giggled, he blinked surprised this was the first time she had done that with him.

"You don't need to be angry with them. They were like Manta, they could see spirits, but they were scared about that little girl who could kill them if she was in rage. The only way they knew to control me was by inspiring me fear…"

"But they could have used respect like my grandmother did", he said angry.

"It's ok. They are off my life now, right?", she stopped and looked at him, "I think you should go back and stay with Manta. He was feeling guilty and he is not responsible of this"

"But what if you―", he was interrupted by a soft kiss on his cheek that made him blush and speechless.

"I'll be fine. Now go", after he nodded and smiled sheepishly to her, she turned and walked away heading to the station. Didn't want to remember those days at Kyoto, it was nonsense, the past is in the past and there is nothing to do with it…

She boarded the train and closed her eyes to remember the vision she had seen at the Patch Village. That woman Aldara seemed to be waiting for the people who took her apart from her sister, maybe she chose them to keep her safe and away of the people persecuting Alex… but, according with Tomoe, her adoptive parents passed away on a car accident when she was about one year old. Was it really an accident? "You are paranoiac, Anna", she said to herself. An accident was possible, and if they would have been killed then the killers would have kill her too.

"Stop it. Give yourself a break…", she rebuked herself on her thoughts.

.

* * *

.

 ** _San Francisco (at the time Anna's being fired)_**

"STOP CRYING, DAMN IT!"

A red haired, pale woman with bright green eyes was yelling furious at a bulge in the middle of a bed.

"But it hurts!", the bulge replied in the midst of her crying, "Why every single person I love must be gone?!"

The woman sighed massaging her temple. Oh boy she was expecting the other girl wasn't hypersensitive like the one she had. It was the same show every single time someone dumped her, and Aldara was sick of ALL THE SHOWS. Maybe she was constantly looking for partners because of her childhood wounds… but anyway…

"You were together for just two months!", she exclaimed exhausted, "TWO MONTHS! How can that one be the love of your life?!"

"I felt it!"

"Oh yeah! Sure!", note sarcasm, "YOU SHOULD BE MOVING TO LOOK FOR YOUR SISTER INSTEAD OF CRYING BY A DORK!", she shouted freaking out, remembering the same discussion they had about 3 years ago.

* * *

 ** _3 years ago…_**

* * *

"YOU SHOULD BE MOVING TO LOOK FOR YOUR SISTER INSTEAD OF CRYING BY A DORK!", Aldara shouted out of herself to the bulge at the bed in front of her.

The bulge moved and a beautiful silver-haired girl of 18 years old appeared, her amber eyes were still glassy and swollen. She sobbed and breathed a few times before answer to her guardian's yell.

"But Al, you said they were good people and then they were taking care of her. She is safe being far away from me, why should I ruin her life appearing?"

"Alex… I made a mistake there…", Al looked down. The news had come to her too late just a few days ago but couldn't explain her young Master because of her emotional state. Alex looked at her serious, forgetting all the situation that got her crying at bed.

"Mistake? Had something happened to her?", she stood and walked closer to Al at the time she asked, concern was palpable on her voice.

"The letters we were receiving…", Al looked down, "Those were not from them, someone kept writing in their name… Hans found out last week… They passed away 12 years ago…"

Alex looked at her with a blank expression, then her face started to contract on a grimace of anger as her entire body started shaking in rage. An anger scream echoed in the room and surroundings as her power was released destroying almost all the furniture of the room.

"WHO?!", the young woman asked with her eyes flaming in anger, pain and concern. And she was there feeling sorry for herself like a complete idiot?!

"Calm down. Apparently, she wasn't with them then, so she must be alive… It's my fault for not noticing before…", Al took her head with a guilty look with tears poking on her eyes, "She has been lonely for years and it's all my fault. You should punish me before going after the one who fooled me… the fault is not of the scammer but the scammed"

"Where is she now?", Alex stopped hearing after she said she must be alive and started looking for some clothes in what was left of the closet.

"Won't you―?"

Alex smiled at her, "You tried your best and she must be safe by now, I can't be mad at you", took some clothes and walked to the bathroom, "But I'll be mad if you don't tell where she is"

"… I don't know…"

"YOU KIDDING ME?!", she returned to the room and looked furious at her. How could she not know?!

"We were not supposed to know so that she wasn't exposed!"

"MOM WOULD KILL YOU!"

"THIS WAS HER IDEA! THE COUPLE WHO TOOK ANNIE WERE CLOSE FRIENDS!"

"WHAT THE HELL WAS SHE THINKING?!", Alex asked looking at the ceiling on an exasperation gesture, she was frustrated and angrier than before.

"She was thinking about the life of the two of you!", Al decided to calm down herself so the teen in front of her could calm as well, "You got involved because he knows who you are, but she was just a baby. She had the possibility of being apart of all of this"

Alex entered the bathroom again without more comments. When she came out, Al recognized the determination look her old Master had and followed her to the principal house of the clan.

* * *

 ** _Today…_**

* * *

But today she was just a crying old baby who had forgotten her goal just for a heartache… again… Or maybe she was just pretending her crying was about that idiot who dumped her after Alex saved her life, and was crying because she feared not being skilled enough to 'repair' herself and move again, this time she almost died by her reckless… But who knows… she always cried after a break up so…

"I know…", Alex uncovered herself and looked at Al ashamed, "But we haven't found something useful in the last 3 years… I just know she must be at Asia… And maybe she is better without me…"

Aldara's eyes softened as she approached to her young Master.

"Why are you saying such a thing?"

"I'm a mess and you know it. Everyone around me gets in trouble!", she said sitting at the bed and looking down.

"Well, you are a reckless idiot and there is nothing to do with that", Al said playfully under the pissed look of the girl, "But, you know, your comrades follow you anyway. So, you are not as inept as you think"

"I wouldn't say inept…", she frowned. Al was always like that.

"But you are an emotional inept", she stated smiling playfully, "You are a walking trouble, and of course people around you will get involved in this situation, but you are also capable of protect them. You have a huge heart and a huge power, don't you think she will be safer with you?", she said with a soft voice, "She could have found out about you. What if she is waiting for you? What if she needs someone? Would you leave her by herself? She must be lonely without people who really cares about her"

"What if she is safe and I put her in danger?"

"What if she is in danger now?"

Aldara's reply made her rethink the situation. She was right, Alex was just assuming she was safe because she was so well hidden than even they didn't have a clue about the girl.

"I'm still unable to walk…"

"Because you are wasting energy crying instead of recovering", Al looked at her with narrowed eyes and hands-on hips.

"My spinal cord was smashed… It will take time even if I focus on healing because my guardian doesn't want to give me more of her regeneration powers", Alex said frowning.

"You got enough, just focus and do it with the power I already gave you", she said severely, "I don't want you to be more vampire than human"

"It's taking me ages!", a pout appeared on her face.

"You can move your hands and trunk now, just legs left. Keep it up", she said walking to the door, "I'll tell Eri and the others you are finally thinking again. Work hard on your re-building"

.

* * *

.

 _ **Tokyo**_

Anna arrived at her place with that strange and at same time pleasant feeling of freedom, it had been ages since she had been unemployed and could relax watching TV, listening to Awaya or reading something not related to school. She jumped to the bed, took the remote and turned on TV. She actually said Yoh to go with Manta so she finally could enjoy sometime with herself, only her thoughts for a few hours, she liked to be on his company but she needed some space once in a while.

 _So, on music news today. All Awaya Ringo's fans get excited! Because she just announced the pre-sales of her concert at the Tokyo Dome this 23th._

"Damn reishi", she hissed. She had the money and was a fan, oh god she was a FAN with capital letters but thousands of minds at the same place were not good for her… or for the people around who could get killed by the oni that would appear.

 _Also, she will be introducing the revelation American band: Black Mist, they are an emerging band and they will be singing together at her concert. This could be a preview of their concert two weeks after Awaya's._

"Black Mist? They are good…", she had to say it, a videoclip of them started playing after the announcement. It showed a girl running at different cities around the world, she didn't like the video but the sound and lyrics were great.

 _Black Mist was born at San Francisco about 2 years ago and their fame and fans have been growing exponentially from then, they have recently been expanding their music to Asia and Japan will be the third station of their tour_ ―

She turned off the TV, it was so frustrating! She had the cash but not the control, she was expecting the encounter with Alexandra would really help… Would it be to ask too much if she wished Alex arrived before Awaya's concert?

"…according with that guy she doesn't even knows where I am…"

She stood and change clothes, left her apartment now dressed up with a black skirt and a crimson blouse and headed to the music store. She could not go to concerts but she could buy CD's…

.

* * *

.

 _ **San Francisco**_

"How long will it take? We are starting our Asian Tour in two weeks", a black-haired woman about the same age of Alex almost killed the silver-haired girl with her crimson eyes. Not even a drop of compassion there.

"Eri… Are you mad?", Alex asked looking at her with puppy-asking-forgiveness eyes.

"Of course not! I'm so happy you jumped in front of a train for saving that dork's life!", Eri roared sarcastically. She was furious.

"I'm sorry… But you know I―"

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!", she roared making Alex hair fly backwards.

"… it will take two more days", Alex decided to answer… Eri was the devil when she was mad and wasn't good to tempt her luck.

"Fine!" Eri stood and walked to the door, she stopped when she grasped the door knob "Do you even now why I'm mad?"

"… because you care and I was as stupid as always…"

"You can't be dumber", she said with a sad smile Alex could not see and left.

"I hope she is right", Aldara said closing her eyes, "Now focus and do it fast!"

"You are all so mean…", Alex whined and started focusing on her healing ability.

* * *

. _ **Two weeks later**_

* * *

 _ **Tokyo**_

It was amazing to have free time! She could stand that little 'vacation' period and start looking for a part time job in a few days. Two weeks had passed since she was fired and she was starting her second-high school year today, still the advanced class but now Manta was at her class room.

"I can't believe you are classmates", Yoh said a little depressed, he would like to be at same class with them.

They were eating lunch together at the cafeteria.

"You can't be at an advanced class with those grades", Anna said eating with eyes-closed, "If you want to be at the same class you have to study harder"

"Can't you study softer?", he asked scratching his head with a depressed expression.

Anna almost killed him with her sight. How could he be so lazy?!

"Wow they are amazing!"

The comment and the thoughts related came from the girl sitting at the table on her back and made her forget Yoh's laziness. They were talking about the band that would be performing with Awaya at her concert, that reminder made her feel a little bit depressed.

"They never show their faces at videos. Do you think they will be non-masked at the concert?"

"I've heard they show their face at concerts and interviews, but I can't find them online. I can't wait to see them on TV!"

Anna bit her inferior lip, she didn't want to admit it but sometimes she felt really jealous about the life other people of her age were living, without worries nor limitations for some stupid powers.

"Everything ok?"

Yoh's voice made her come back to her own table. She nodded, it was nonsense to talk about something so small, just an awesome concert of her idol celebrating Awaya's 10th career anniversary, with her new album release… not a big deal. The pain on her chest was just a mere coincidence…

.

* * *

.

 _ **San Francisco**_

"HURRY UP!"

Alex sighed, Eri was still mad at her. She boarded the van under the amused look of the others, they were containing their laugh.

"You have a serious case of dumbness", a black haired-girl with some light blue locks said those words smiling mockingly. She had the same amber eyes than Alex.

"Shut up, Rain", Alex mumbled looking away and arms crossed under her chest. Family was supposed to be a support, but even when Rain was her cousin she was just like Al. Bullying at her at every single opportunity.

"Awww I feel your love, thanks little sis", Rain pinched Alex's cheek like if she was a little girl, "C'mon be excited! We are going South Korea, maybe the little-little sis is there"

"Poor girl, having such a stupid older sister like you", Eri said frowning through the window, "I bet she inherited the brain since you don't have one"

"C'mon Eri, you know this idiot is pure heart!", a smiling blond boy said.

"Calling me an idiot is not the best way to defend me…", Alex said with narrowed eyes. C'mon she just fell for someone and saved her life!, "That happened three weeks ago, get over it!"

"Xana is right Eri", another guy who looked just as Rain put his hand on Alex's head, "we all know how much you love this insane girl", he said that as smiling as Xana

Of course, Reiner wouldn't waste his opportunity to piss her of, just like his twin sister… Alex sighed and decided to not say another word, they were right, it was a really stupid choice. She was so confident about Al would give her the recovery powers like she had in the past than she didn't think about consequences, this time it could have been the end… The fact of her ex- dumping her after that wasn't as painful as think she could never move again and then she could never go to her sister's side in that condition. Her crying was just for that fact more than for that dork… but she made them thought she was crying for her ex-… it was too embarrassing to admit she was crying for being scared.

They arrived at the airport and boarded the plane, the guys made her sit next to Eri "Nothing planned" had said Rain, yeah sure… An uncomfortable silence was set between the two of them until Eri break it.

"I know you were crying because you were scared", she whispered without looking at her, "I told Al to not give you more power, you are always too reckless because you trust blindly on her. You always think she will be there to save you, you have to learn to take care and save yourself"

"… thank you for caring…"

"Just try to think a little bit before acting", Eri put her headphones on and closed her eyes. Alex smiled at her, she was strict but she was the best person she had ever met.

* * *

 **2 months later…**

* * *

 _ **Tokyo**_

"It's wrong…again"

Yoh looked at her concerned, her face was the same as always but she was meaner than usual and she seemed to be mad for some reason.

"I'm fine", she took his notebook and pointed at the problem he was solving, "You did it wrong here, you have to do it this way…"

They were at the school library with Manta and Tamao. Both of them were impressed by the achievements of the blond girl, Yoh was studying like they never thought he would!

"She is amazing", Tamao was the most impressed because she knew Yoh from her childhood and he never had studied properly, this was the first time since she could remember than his grades were this good at the end of trimester.

"Hehehe. I guess Yoh needs someone like her now than Matamune is gone", Manta said amused by the scene. Anna was now frowning at him for not putting attention, she had probably read his thoughts because she had a little blush on her cheeks.

"You are right, he needs someone like her"

"Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

Tamao smiled and moved her hands nervously in front of her.

"Don't worry, it's ok. I'm fine, seriously"

"But Anna! I'm tired!", Yoh's whine made them focus on them again.

"And I'm tired of your complaints. Focus!", she ordered.

"Quiet!", the librarian hissed from behind.

Anna glared at Yoh and he obeyed instantly. She was sure upset by something, was his fault? He heard Anna's sigh and looked up.

"No, it's not your fault… Just something stupid", Awaya's concert was next week… and she would have to wait until the release of the DVD.

Yoh was about to ask, but he was interrupted by an excitement scream from the other side of the library. The librarian and all the students at the place looked at the girl who had screamed, she looked around with an excited smile performing little jumps as she pointed her cellphone.

"Black Mist's interview now at Tokyo TV"

A troop of students and the librarian rushed to watch with her while others took out their own cellphones, Manta was from the last group. He tuned the channel and the four of them watched as the smiling and excited interviewer was introducing the members of the band, the camera focused on every one of them as she said their names. Anna blinked astonished when she named their vocalist… she didn't need to know her name because she was the living portrait of her mother…

Manta, Yoh and Tamao exchanged looks of curiosity. Then they looked concerned at Anna, she was pale and eyes wide opened.

"Are you ok?", Yoh asked.

Anna ripped the cellphone from Manta's hands and looked closer like if she needed to be sure than her eyes were not fooling her. She paralyzed, Alex was younger but identical to her mother… Was she her...? REALLY?! The camera was showing Alex now, she was charming and smiling all the time, her answers were making everyone laugh and was constantly joking with the other guys of the band.

The astonishment gave way to anger and hate. Alex had been traveling around the world and fooling around with her band while she had been lonely and suffering because of reishi, she was probably fooling herself when she thought her older sister could be looking for her. Alex was enjoying her life without even remember she had a younger sister.

"Anna… What's wrong?"

She didn't answer and put the phone violently on Manta's hands, took her stuff and left the library without a single word. Yoh took his stuff as well and ran after her, but she was faster and by the time he saw her she had already taken the bus.

.

* * *

.

"Nice job guys!", a black-haired vampire clapped to the band and winked, "It was an awesome interview!"

None of them could say a word to him because Aldara emerged from Alex's shadow and gave him a jump kick.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!", she yelled as she kicked him right in his jaw, "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME NEWS TWO MONTHS AGO!", she took him by his shirt furious before he hit the ground and hissed at him: "You better have a good excuse Hans"

"I-I found…", he muttered almost fainted, "I found… her"

Alex pushed Al away and took Hans by his shirt.

"Where is she?!", she shook him demanding an answer, "WAKE UP! WHERE IS SHE?!"

"Hey! Take it easy, he can't talk properly after that kick. You'll kill him"

"He is a non-dead, I won't kill him with this!", Alex responded frowning at Eri.

"… she is here... at Tokyo. Studies at Shinra High School…"

That made Alex throw him at the ground. She ran outside the room like if it was doomsday followed by Al who hid at Alex's shadow.

.

* * *

.

A furious Anna was walking to the station to take the train. She was furious with herself for being so naive and think than that girl would actually look for her. Her head started to give her one of those memorable headaches, she hadn't had one since she was closer to Yoh, maybe it was because of her emotional status today. Anna accelerated the pace, those headaches never brought something good and she was still far away from her place.

Someone stood in front of her when she was walking through the child's park to shorten the path. She tried to pass by his side but the guy moved and blocked her way, she looked at him pissed and worried by the safety of the people around. He was using a black hood so she could not see his face.

"Don't worry. There is no people around", he said and raised one hand like if he was brandishing a weapon. Anna's reflexes were good enough to jump and avoid the cut of his sickle-shaped oversoul, "Wow, you are fast! Those reflexes remind me the other one"

Anna looked around and she corroborated that in fact there was no people around, they were inside a sort of barrier that looked like a black mist. She didn't have her beads at that moment so she started looking for an escape route.

"I'm sorry. There is none. I'll give you 5 minutes to think about a last wish"

.

* * *

.

"This is Shinra―"

"Keep the change", Alex practically threw all the content of her wallet to the taxi driver.

"Alex, I feel someone strong around", Aldara said hid at Alex's shadow.

"I know", she started running to reach that person. Looked around and found a pink-haired girl, a short blond guy and a brown-haired boy with big orange headphones. The guy of the headphones had a big amount of spiritual power, maybe he could give her a clue, so she ran to reach the group, "Hey! Guy with phones!"

They all looked at the young woman who was running at their direction.

"Hey… Isn't that…?"

"OH GOD! SHE IS JUST LIKE HER!"

The people around started to look at her, she accelerated to talk with the guy, there was a spirit next to him so he was a shaman for sure.

"Do you know a blond girl with powers like yours?", she asked to Yoh. He blinked, then something on his head made 'click' and he realized why Anna ran minutes ago. He pointed at her extremely surprised.

"Are you―?!"

"Do you know a girl like that or not?!", she interrupted roughly. Anna had been apart from her just enough to spend even a single minute more away from her.

"Y- yeah", he responded nervously, the look of that girl was just as Anna's when she was mad, "She left minutes ago, maybe we are on time to see her at the train station"

Alex smiled broadly at him and hugged Yoh with a bone-breaking hug that was even more painful than Anna's slaps. He couldn't help to think than maybe Anna's strength was genetical.

"Don't asphyxiate him…", Al said still at her shadow. That made Alex look at the guy and notice the blue color his face was taking.

"Ah! I'm sorry…", she bowed slightly with a hand on the back of her head.

Yoh breathed heavy embracing himself to touch his ribs on a pain expression as he tried unsuccessfully to smile at her and say he was ok.

"OMG! SHE REALLY IS!"

They didn't notice the growing crowd of students staring at them until that excitement scream. Alex cursed herself for being so careless with that detail… Eri would kill her…

"Ha-ha", Al mocked from Alex's shadow, "Eri will kill you"

That made Alex frown to her shadow, her guardian's unconditional support was remarkable…

.

* * *

.

"I WILL KILL HER!", Eri and the rest of the band were heading to Alex's sister's school at a van, "DRIVE FASTER!"

"Eri, I can't…", Xana's voice was almost inaudible, Eri was scarier than hell when she was mad… "Damn Alex", he mumbled.

"Hey! Xana stop!", Rain pushed the brake at that moment making him lose control of the van. The vehicle turned in circles, leaned to the right and finally landed in its four wheels. Everyone looked at Rain wanting to kill her.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!"

"Shut up! Look there!", she pointed to a dark barrier at the distance, "It looks like one of the old man's barriers"

"Is he here?!", Hans panicked, oh god he was so dead if he was there.

"Xana, drive there!", Eri ordered.

"ARE YOU INSANE?!", they all yelled at the same time.

"I won't lose that stupid Alex just because you are scared!", she was freaking out. Now she wasn't mad she was scared to death.

.

* * *

.

"Damn he is fast", Anna thought, "This man must be one of those guys that vampire warned us…"

He stopped attacking just when she thought that.

"So, the stupid Hans was by her side. Wow, I have to tell dad about that"

"I guess now I know what Yoh feels when I answer to his thoughts…", Anna thought.

"I'm sorry you will not see him again. Nothing personal, just politics. I hope you understand", he concentrated all his power at his right hand and his sickle oversoul grew bigger, raised his left hand and the ground at Anna's feet turned muddy making her sink to the ankles.

She tried to move but it was impossible to escape.

"I'm sorry girl", he smiled not feeling sorry at all, "Well, good news is that you are meeting your parents"

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! This chapter is a little bit longer, I hope you liked it and I hope you give Alex and her gang a chance.

Thanks for reading! Special thanks to Lachapa's and S.D.P for your comments about last chapter.

By the way, S.D.P you make my day with your reviews as well, your details make me think about my writing, I have to say than Anna had caught him thinking about her beauty in previous chapters it's just not in the same way like this time, Yoh was a little... hormonal now, but I think I wasn't clear enough xD I'll try to fix that.

Thanks again and hope you keep reading! Constructive criticism is always welcome and I'll be grateful if you let me know what think. Have a nice day/night! Hope to see you around! :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Meetings**

 **.**

He did a clean cut at her legs, making her fall and scream in pain as he laughed.

"Wow, you don't cry. Tough girl", he smiled and approached to give her the final strike.

Her right leg was cut off from her body, Anna closed her eyes tightly feeling the most unbearable pain of her life, this was sure the end for her and maybe it was the best… at least her last year she had had Yoh by her side…

"So sweet! I'm almost feeling bad for killing you", he said with a fake guilty tone, "Good bye girl", his sickle changed its shape to a sword, he put the sword point down aiming at her stomach and let it go down.

.

* * *

.

Alex was running with Yoh, Manta and Tamao, the crowd behind them.

"Is there an alley or something like that?", Alex asked. Their only way out was trough Al but she couldn't appear from her shadow just like that, plus the sun was still up.

"Yoh-dono! This way!", Amidamaru pointed to the left from the heights. They followed his directions an after a few blocks they lost the crowd. The four flopped on the floor with a deep tiredness sigh.

"Are we too far from the station?", Alex asked looking at the three high school students.

"Well…", Yoh looked around, then smiled to Amidamaru, "Amida, could you?"

The samurai disappeared for a few minutes, he reappeared with a worry look on his face.

"Yoh-dono. It will take you another 5 or 10 minutes if you run... But there is some strange black mist near the station, it's some kind of barrier. You should be careful"

Alex stood of a jump when she heard him. Her face was telling them it was something bad, she frowned with an anger grimace.

"ALDARA!"

Her guardian emerged from her shadow and bit her young Master neck. Yoh and the others got shocked with the scene, was she attacking her own master?! Then Aldara hid at her shadow again and Alex looked at Amidamaru.

"Where is that mist?!", her question was almost an order so Amidaru answered immediately. She bent down and jumped just like Yoh had seen the mysterious vampire-guy months ago.

"What was that?!", Manta was extremely surprised he had never seen a shaman doing that before.

"Amidamaru, guide us there!", now Yoh was extremely worried about Anna. She was by herself without her beads and maybe with one of those headaches, that could not be good. Plus, Alex's face told him that mist had something to do with her.

.

* * *

.

The barrier was gone by the time they got there. There was no people around but that blond dying girl, she was unconsciousness and her heartbeat was almost gone, her amber eyes had lost any bright of life.

"We have to go with Alex and Al! Bring the van here!", Eri ordered.

Xana obeyed and started to run but the mist was set around again. They all bit their inferior lip, the attacker was not gone, ha had been just waiting for them, he used the girl to make them forget about him.

"Nice! The troop of traitors, all together at the same place!", he grinned, "Let's send you all to―"

He couldn't end his phrase because of the silver-haired woman who fell from the sky and smashed him against the ground, she crushed him like if he were an insect instead of a man. Alex ignored the dying guy and run to Eri's side, she was holding her sister on her arms.

"Her leg…", Eri pointed to her left.

Aldara emerged from Alex's shadow and took the girl leg, put it back at their position and made herself bleed over Anna's wounds at both legs and stomach. After a few minutes Alex took of her jacket and cleaned the blood from Anna's body, there was no sign of aggression now. She received the girl from Eri's arms and hugged her firmly as she kissed Anna's forehead.

"I know that's supposed to heal her, but we should go and see a doctor anyway", Eri said calmly. The anger and fear had vanished giving way to relief.

Alex nodded and followed her to the van looking carefully to the girl on her arms. She was still unconsciousness, maybe the pain had been too much for her body and she needed some rest even if her wounds were healed. Alex kissed the forehead of her little sister again, "I will never leave you again, I promise", she said to the blond girl in her thoughts.

Anna didn't open her eyes, she was too tired for that, but she heard Alex's thoughts clearly. So, her older sister was looking for her, and she had saved her life just in time, maybe she wasn't a bad sister after all. She felt Alex boarding a vehicle with her. There were other people at the vehicle and that woman, Eri, was commanding to go to the nearest hospital.

"Anna!"

That was Yoh's voice… His voice came from far away, he sounded like if he was in a rush…

"She is ok. We are heading to a hospital, which one is the nearest?", that was Alex.

Anna opened her eyes to see Yoh, but she wasn't at her sister's arms anymore. She was at the hospital, there were people talking outside her room… or maybe thinking outside the room, she couldn't tell the difference now. Closed her eyes again, she was feeling as tired as she had never had. By the time she opened her eyes again, she saw that young woman with black hair and some light blue locks she had seen at Alex's thoughts… Which was her name? Rain? The young woman looked back at her and smiled broadly and warmly.

"I'm glad to see you are awake", she stood and stirred Anna's hair, "I'll tell your boyfriend, we forced him to go eat something, he left just 5 minutes ago", with that said, she left the room.

Anna looked at the ceiling with a blank expression. This whole situation was so weird. She was dying a few hours ago and now she was at the hospital surrounded by her sister's friends… and all seemed to be ok. Who was that guy attacking her earlier?

"Anna?!", Yoh rushed into the room and hold her hand between his. He smiled with glassy eyes, he was so worried about her.

"I'm fine…", she said feeling a little weird saying those words… she almost died but now she wasn't even feeling pain, she was just tired like after a gym class at the school.

"We were so lucky Aldara has that kind of powers", he said in the middle of a relief sigh.

"Aldara?", Anna muttered and closed her eyes… of course, Aldara's blood had healing properties so that was why she was still alive, would have to thank her later.

"Alex will be here soon, she is dealing with press now", he said with a soft voice, "She went to school looking for you and we met at the bus stop just minutes after you left"

Anna's eyes wide opened as she saw everything on his mind as he remembered. Her sister was now facing the press, she had to clarify why she went to that school looking for a blond girl and why did she arrive at the hospital with her. She had to say Anna was her sister so the doctors allowed her and the band to be around and to be responsible of her after leaving. After a few minutes with Yoh, Alex opened the door and gave her a nervous look as she approached to the bed. Anna could not hear her thoughts…

"Aaam", Alex started nervous then coughed looking away, and finally sighed scratching her cheek with one finger, "Well… I'm…", she moved nervous not knowing how to start the conversation, she had so many things to say and to ask but couldn't order her thoughts nor her words.

Aldara jumped from her shadow giving her an uppercut directly at the jaw. Alex fell in to the floor backwards as Al looked at her raising an eyebrow and arms crossed under her chest.

"Just tell her you are sorry for being late", she said to Alex and then turned to address Anna, "And I must apologize by my incompetence, it's my fault you have this kind of troubles", she bowed respectfully, "If you want me to be punished I will be, if you want me dead I will die for you"

Anna observed at her, she looked just as in the great spirits vision, the vampire didn't move waiting for her answer.

"Why is your fault?", Anna said finally, Aldara's thoughts were a mysterious too. Al maintained her position and explained her than she was supposed to be apart so she could be safe, she talked about the woman who had adopted her and about the letters she received from her, explained than they discovered her death after 12 years and that was why Al considered herself guilty of all the suffering Anna had to pass through.

"But, you didn't know where Anna's adoptive parents were living right?", Yoh said after a long silence.

"No, I wasn't supposed to know for her safety", Aldara responded still bowing.

"Then you didn't have a clue about what was happening to me until that guy Hans told you about their deaths", Anna said with a calm voice, her closed eyes opened and she looked to her sister's guardian still bowing, "Raise your head", she ordered before continuing, "Past is in the past… The way I see it, it's your old Master's fault for ordering you to not ask and don't approach… Well, maybe she was right about my safety, and no one could predict they would die and then someone will fool you writing on their name"

"I'll do anything you want to compensate my fault", Aldara said raising her head and looking into Anna's eyes.

"Other people's thoughts come to me even if I don't want to hear them. Do you know how to handle it?", Anna asked. It was all she needed to know and if she could help her with that, then there was nothing to forgive.

Alex stood and looked at Anna sadly, Aldara also gave her that look. Then both of them looked at each other and sighed, Anna frowned at them.

"Just say it! It's a yes or no answer"

Aldara startled, blinked and then laughed out loud. Anna gave her a glare that made Yoh and Alex shiver.

"Hahaha. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry", Al dried the tears that had come out by reflex, "It's just. I almost saw and hear Aura when you said that", she smiled warmly at Anna, "The answer is yes, but it's a long way"

"Mom had the same problem when she was young", Alex added smiling at Anna, "She solved it after meeting dad"

"How did she solve it?", Anna's voice sounded more anxious than she expected.

"You are in the right way", Al said putting a hand on Anna's head, "Well, it's late. I'm going to bed", she stretched and yawned, "Don't get in trouble while I'm sleeping", she said with a sleepy voice as she immersed at Alex's shadow.

"Hey! Come back here!", Anna demanded almost jumping from the bed to catch her. Yoh contained her before she could.

"It's 12:00 o'clock, this is like midnight to Al", Alex explained to her, amused by her reaction, "But she is telling you the truth, you are on the right way"

"I can't hear yours and couldn't hear Hans before", Anna crossed her arms and looked at her demanding an explanation, if Al wasn't giving her answers then Alex would do it.

"Wow, you are just like mom", Alex said astonished. She giggled when Anna narrowed her eyes wanting to hit her, "Well, dad was a wall. He taught me how to close mi mind to others so nobody could enter, it's a habit now"

"You say I'm on the right way but I don't even know at which one I'm right now…"

Alex approached to her smiling warmly and hugged her lovingly under Anna's discomfort and paralysis.

"I know you don't feel comfortable with this, but please let me hug you for a while", she said with a maternal voice.

Yoh smiled and left the room to give them some space. This was the first time they could have a conversation and, even if Anna wasn't comfortable with hugs, he knew than deep inside she had been waiting this moment.

.

* * *

.

"Did you really rent this apartment by your own?!", Alex was still surprised. It was a small place but got all the commodities, she was so young and was managing quite well living like an adult!

"That confirms my theory of she inheriting the brain", Eri said leaning at the door frame and smirking to Alex who made a sulky pout with her inferior lip and frowned at her.

Anna was sent home last night and today she was packing to move. She was taking some clothes from the closet and didn't look at them, but she perceived clearly the thoughts and feelings of Eri. Now she got clear why Al said Alex is an emotional inept, her sister would be greatly benefited with reishi because she was sure Alex didn't have a clue about anything.

"I could have managed just as well as her", Alex replied crossing her arms like an angry child.

"You are so childish now than I doubt you could at 16", Eri left her spot still smirking and moved to take the bag Anna had left at the floor, "If it wasn't for Al you would be at jail… ", she thought about it for a second, "or maybe on a wheel chair, who knows", she shrugged.

"You can't be happy if you don't tease me, can you?", Alex looked at her with narrowed eyes, taking another bag.

"Wow! You realized!", Eri looked at her with fake surprise then smirked and patted her on the head, "You are getting less dumber. Congrats!", she walked away carrying Anna's bag to the van.

Anna bit her inferior lip, it was funny, she knew why was that comment but she could bet her life that Alex didn't have a clue. Finished packing the last few things she had there and take a last look of her apartment, it was a little sad to leave that place after living there for the last 2 years, she didn't want to move actually, but Alex insisted in that it was dangerous to be by her own and after the guy's attack she knew her sister was right.

"Is that all?"

She nodded as answer and closed the door for the last time. They walked through the hallway to the stairs, went down and knocked the door of the manager to give him the keys. She thanked the man and followed Alex to the van, when they arrived Eri was taking a picture with Hikari.

"Isn't she too young to be their fan?", Anna thought surprised. They were an alternative rock band, she never thought that kids like Hikari could like them. Thought about it a little more, she started listening to Awaya when she was about 9, so maybe Hikari wasn't too young after all.

The little girl waved her smiling like always, she asked another picture with Alex and with her. Anna didn't like that kind of stuff and tried to refuse but Alex and Eri grasped her by the wrists and forced her to be in.

"Will you come to visit?", Hikari asked expectantly when Anna said she was moving. The blond couldn't answer because her older sister did for her.

"Of course she will! We will visit you with all the band if you want", Alex winked at her. Hikari's eyes became shinning bright in excitement. Anna sighed and nodded when the girl looked at her with that bright face, she could not say no to those eyes. They said goodbye and made their way to her new home… What would happen when they had to leave and continue with their tour?

She had never been at that neighborhood before, but she knew that wealthy families lived there. A lot of casino's customers lived in this area. Every house was bigger than the previous one… Was Alex used to that kind of life? They released their first album 2 years ago, maybe this was recent… or not, it was troublesome that her mind was closed because she would have to ask for everything she wanted to know and she did not feel so confident as to do it.

"Your friend Manta lives a few blocks from here", Alex made her get off her thoughts, "He said they will come to visit after school"

Anna kept silence and nodded, she knew Manta lived in the area and assumed than by ' _they_ ' Alex meant Yoh and Manta. Alex was a nice person and she could feel she cared, but it was hard to be with her and not knowing what she was thinking or how to answer properly to keep a conversation. It was hard to talk without having a clue about her thoughts. Eri was focused hearing a music sample so she wasn't a source of information right now.

"By the way, we have our rehearsal in about two hours", Alex looked at her troubled, "I'm sorry but I can't leave you home alone so you will have to come with us"

"It's ok", she answered looking through the window with a blank expression it still hurt to think that she couldn't be at Awaya's concert… Wait… She looked at Alex eyes wide opened, her sister startled and looked back at her, "What kind of rehearsal?"

"Well, we are guests at Awaya's and we will be singing together, so we have some rehearsals with her", Alex blinked when she saw the shock expression on Anna's face, "Are you ok?", she tilted her head and then she thought than maybe Anna didn't like Awaya's music, "Well, if you don't want to go you could stay with Ha―"

"I'LL GO!", Anna interrupted her almost pouncing on her and making Alex bend backwards astonished by her reaction… so Anna liked Ayawa enough to make her manifest that kind of emotions.

"C-Cool, we'll put your stuff at your room and go there", she smiled at her amused, Anna was trying to content her trembling, maybe this was the first time she had been this excited about something.

It was when she helped Anna to carry her things upstairs than Alex realized she had all Awaya's albums and some merchandise. She grinned, Anna's birthday had been last week and this would be a great birthday present, a little late but it should compensate. two hours later they were at the Tokyo Dome, getting ready for the rehearsal.

"Are you ok?", Eri asked raising an eyebrow.

Anna nodded nervously, it was getting hard to control herself. Just in front of her eyes there was her idol, and she could hear her thoughts… this was the first time in her life she was grateful for reishi.

"Is she new?", Awaya asked pointing at her, Anna felt her cheeks burning and couldn't say a word.

"What's wrong with you?!", Anna scolded herself on her mind, "Say something!", but it was useless... she was speechless.

"She is my younger sis, Anna had been with a few health issues so I didn't want her to be alone at home", Alex said scratching her head, "I'm sorry for not asking first…"

"It's ok. I know how it feels, I have little brother", Awaya moved her hand in a gesture that indicated it wasn't a big deal, "Shall we?", she walked to the stage and the band followed her except by Alex who guided Anna to the seats.

"Well, you are lucky. You will be at a private concert", Alex smiled cheerfully, "You obviously like her a lot, I'll get you her autograph…", her smile turned sad, "It's something, since you can't be at the concert"

"You kidding me?! This is a thousand, no, a million times better!", those were Anna's thoughts. But she contained herself and handle to say: "It's fine. This is good enough", with her usual voice.

Alex walked away and giggled, apparently her sister was a proud person and maybe a little shy, so she would never recognize openly her excitement at this moment even when she was probably about to explode inside. It was cute though, she was so serious and mature but at the same time she was just like any other 16-year-old teen who got excited by music idols, maybe this could be the best birthday gift she could ever give her.

.

* * *

.

Yoh and Manta looked at each other questioningly when they saw Anna smiling and humming like if she was the happier person in Japan. None of them had seen her in that state before, was she happy for living with her sister now? She didn't glare at them for thinking such things, was she ok?! She seemed to be in the clouds.

"Anna…", Yoh approached looking at her like if she was sick. She was standing at the balcony, looking to the back garden. She looked at them when she got aware of their presence.

"How long have you been there?", she asked returning to her usual being.

"… just a few minutes… You seem to be happy", Yoh said smiling at her. She couldn't help and told them about the rehearsal earlier, she tried really hard to content her excitement but could not do it completely. At that moment Yoh realized why she had been mad the whole week, she couldn't go to Awaya's show because of her reishi, he grinned thanking mentally to Alex for taking her to the work.

"Wow, now they definitively will hate you", Manta said laughing softly.

Anna blinked when she read his thoughts, she had completely forgotten the fact of Alex saying publicly than they were sisters. Would she have to transfer to another school? No, it wasn't a big deal since Tamao, Manta and Yoh were not having trouble handling it. All the students around the bus stop had seen Alex hugging Yoh and all was the same as always to him.

"Changing the subject… Have she told you about the guy yesterday?", Yoh looked at her with concern. It wasn't pleasant to know she almost died if it wasn't by Aldara's healing abilities. He felt completely useless, he was a shaman but couldn't protect her properly.

"No… But I heard he is our cousin…", she leaned on the balcony, "Don't overthink about that, there was no way of see it coming"

"What are they doing?!", Manta yelled with eyes coming out from its orbits when he saw the people at the backyard. It was like a battlefield, just like the battles at the shaman fight but this time it was 4 against Alex.

"They are training", Anna said with a blank expression, "She asked them for this kind of training"

"They are pretty serious with training", some blue lines appeared at Yoh's face when he saw Eri throwing flames to Alex and burning her arms without compassion… she reminded him Hao's fights.

"She is not like him!", Anna frowned at Yoh for a few seconds then she realized her reaction and looked away, "She knows it's for Alex's sake, and Al can heal her wounds easily. Eri is crying inside for hurting her", she said with her usual indifferent tone. "Well, a little part of Eri is enjoying making her suffer a bit though…", Anna added in her thoughts.

Yoh giggled at her side making Anna look back at him. He smiled broadly to her, she blushed and looked away again with a pissed expression, Yoh laughed and focused at the fight. Manta saw the scene between the two of them and smiled happy for his friend, those mental talks they had were a complete mysterious to him but it was clear than Yoh enjoyed those little talks and he was an even more smiling person since she became part of his life.

"Well, I have extra classes today. See you guys", Manta left them waving his hand as goodbye. He wasn't lying but still had plenty of time before his class started, he decided to leave them alone because he knew than maybe they needed some time by their own.

Both said goodbye to him knowing the reasons he had to left and thanking him mentally, he was a good friend. They watched the training in silence, the group was strong and the view confirmed Anna's hunch about Alex's power, she was really strong to face them all at the same time.

"So…", Yoh said nervously, "What do you think about them?"

"Reiner and Xana are my cousins as well and even if they weren't both are older so I would not be interested", she answered reading the hidden question: is there any menace for me? Yoh scratched his neck and laughed nervously, try to hide something was useless.

"Why are you so insecure?", she raised an eyebrow.

"It's…", he couldn't answer that. Maybe it was because he had never had this kind of relationship and not knowing how to act made him feel insecure, she was a smart-interesting-beauty, she had it all! And he was… well, he was a great shaman but nowadays shamans don't get a lot of money and Anna would probably become a business woman… maybe at some point he would not be enough for her.

"You are an...", she was about to scold him for having such ridiculous thoughts but she stopped when she realized than maybe those were the same of those two... She looked curious at Yho, "If I wouldn't know about your feelings for me, would you have confessed?"

"Eh?", Yoh blinked he had seen a slap coming but she came out with that question instead, "Well…" he looked up to think about it… maybe he wouldn't because he would be afraid of her rejection or for not be live up to her expectations.

"I see…", Anna took her chin in a contemplative way, looked down, the training was over, "Well, maybe is that so" she looked back at Yoh with hands on her hips, "And you should not have that kind of stupid thoughts! If I become millionaire it has to be by my own hand. I don't need a man to do it for me!"

Yoh startled and nodded repeatedly, she left her position at the balcony. When he recovered from the scare and looked at her waiting for him at the door, he realized: this was Anna's way of telling him she is not the kind of girl who would look for another guy even if he doesn't have what everyone calls 'a good job' or if he doesn't have a lot of money, she would stay with him for being him. Yoh grinned and reached her at the door, took her hand before she could cross the door threshold and kissed her softly, she blushed and responded to his kiss in the same way. Facing death made her think a lot, and one of those thoughts was realize than life is short and she wanted to seize every moment specially if it was by his side.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

Hi there! I wanted to give Anna a happy memory after almost killing and then torture her with Alex's love, but I guess a private show from Awaya was a good compensation xd

Thank you all for reading! Hope you stay tunned and let me know what you think. Special thanks to AnnaAsakura12, sasou and S.D.P for your continuous support, and S.D.P thanks again for your summary, don't worry no pressure xd

Have a nice day/night! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Family?**

 **.**

"You were too much this time!", Alex whined taking her portion of pizza.

"You asked for it", all of them (Anna included) had the same thought at the same time and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"But you are all awesome!", Yoh looked at them excited, "I can't believe you didn't participate at the Shaman Fight"

All of them looked at each other and then laugh out loud until they cry with laughter under Yoh's puzzled look. The first one recovering was Eri, she cleaned the tears and smiled at Yoh.

"We are a mess but we love to be alive", she said.

"Plus, none of us had some kind of _Big Dream_ or a plan for human kind", Rain added still laughing.

"C'mon, just think in a world with any of us like god. Poor people! Hahahaha", Reiner said laughing out loud again and making everyone else follow him.

Anna looked at Yoh in shock. Until Eri's comment, she didn't realized that Shaman King was supposed to die to take his place at Great Spirits. Yoh never thought or said such a thing.

"You didn't tell me that about Shaman King!", she scolded him, trying not to be too loud. Yoh looked at her confused, "… the part when you die to take your place at great spirits", she said upset, frowning at him.

"Oh! Yeah, that part!", he scratched the back of his head with a grin and then giggled, "It's ok. I don't know if the tournament will be resumed but," looked at her lovingly and continued with a soft voice, "if it is resumed and we still haven't fixed your problem, then I will become Shaman King to help you with that"

"I would rather to have you alive", she crossed her arms under her chest and looked away.

"Well…" Yoh blushed, he was the only descendant of Asakura family and that was why he was engaged, but he never did what he was supposed to do with Tamao… "Maybe it's not me by your side but our kids would…"

SLAP!

All stopped laughing when they heard the slap. They saw Anna leaving the living room, upset, with her face all red and Yoh lying on the floor at the other side of the room, his cheek was swollen like a soccer ball. Nobody could imagine why she had done that, they started betting about the reasons and how long would it take for him to recover when Alex left the room to go after her sister.

"Wow, your hands are heavy!", Alex said when she saw her sister sitting in the grass and looking to the stars.

Anna didn't answer to Alex's comment and kept looking at the stars, still cursing Yoh and his commitment ideas.

"Can I?", Alex pointed to the spot next to her and sat down after Anna nodded, "I was hearing", smiled warmly when she felt Anna's startle next to her, "He is kind and wants something serious with you. I guess you are scared about your capability of being kind with other people since you never had someone being like that with you when you were a child"

Anna looked at her surprised, she was supposed to be an emotional dumb like all of them thought (and they had their reasons), but she turned out to be a pretty observant person. Alex narrowed her eyes and looked at her upset.

"Don't look at me like that!", she crossed her arms under her chest childishly, "I know than everyone thinks I never notice what's happening around…", looked down with a sad smile, "but that's not true… it's just easier to pretend I don't get anything than facing it", she looked at Anna with a sorry smile, "I'm sorry, but it turns out I'm a coward"

"So, you know Eri likes you and that's why she is mad at you…"

"Of course, she cares and likes everybody. Eri gets mad every time one of us do something dangerous or stupid", Alex said looking at her like if it was the most obvious fact in the world.

"…" So, she had no clue about that after all. Anna raised an eyebrow and made a disappointed gesture with her mouth, "I almost believed in your capacity of understanding people's feelings…"

"Almost?! Why almost?!", Alex looked at her confused.

"You are an idiot", Anna looked at her frowning. Alex definitively was a case…

"Don't treat me like that. I'm your older sister, you must respect me!", Alex pointed at her with her index finger and then looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Why am I an idiot?!"

"Because you made me think, for 2 seconds, that you really understand but you don't…", Anna frowned at her, "Anyway, we were talking about Yoh and me"

Alex frowned back at her for a few seconds, then sighed and looked up to the starry sky.

"Well, your face told me I'm right about you", she closed her eyes for a minute then looked to the sky again, "Al told you mom had the same problem until she met dad." Alex smiled nostalgically to the stars, "She was a loving mother and wife, she was sweet and kind with us, even when she never learned from others and even when she was a tough woman."

They kept silent looking at the stars for indefinite time until Anna dared to ask the question that had been rounding around her mind since she heard about her mother's betrayal.

"What did she do?"

Alex looked at her out of the corner of her eye just for a second and then looked back to the sky. How could she explain it? She herself didn't understand all the issue…

"Al. Are you awake?"

"Nobody could sleep with you screaming", Al said sitting in front of them, "Just for the record: We ALL know about that, it's pretty obvious. You are the last one knowing"

"Knowing what?!" Alex moved her arms in a clear sign of ' _I'm lost'_.

"That's another subject. Anna wants some answers, we will get back to your stupidity after that", Al cross her arms under her chest and closed her eyes ignoring Alex's complaints, "Well, you see, they were 3 heirs: Aura (your mother), Aera (Rain and Reiner's mother) and Aitor (the yesterday guy's father and the one who killed the other two)"

"I thought Xana was also our cousin", Anna asked confused.

"Yes, but he is from dad's family", Alex answered.

"Well, as I was saying, they were 3 heirs. But they grew up apart from each other, Aura was raised by her master but even when he cared she felt lonely and never adapted to people on that town", Aldara opened her eyes with a sad expression, "She rejected her own abilities, and didn't want to have me like her guardian, she didn't want to become a monster…"

"So, she was considered a traitor for not―"

"No", Al interrupted her. "She had to accept the ritual, she didn't have another choice. Within the years our bond became stronger but she was still lonely until she met that…" Al laughed amused, "that 'damn vagrant idiot', like she called him when they met"

Anna kept silence, so she was actually like her mother…

"They became closer and fell in love. But her father had engaged her, like they did with Yoh, she refused and ran away with your father, they got married under his last name"

"… he killed her because she refused an engagement?", Anna raised an eyebrow incredulous.

"No, it wasn't by the engagement", Aldara smiled at her. This girl really reminded her about Aura, "Her older brother became family's head and she was kicked out and pursued because he convinced everyone that she had run away because she was revealing their secrets to other clans without permission"

"And her husband faced them when she got pregnant…", Anna said thoughtfully. Then that was the vision she saw, her father faced them and convinced her grandfather of giving them protection because she was innocent… "But, why did her brother do that? She was gone by her own"

"Because she was a menace for him. Aura never agreed with his way of fixing problems nor the way he was leading the clan, the Svatdis are famous assassins in the underworld. Your mother thought there were other ways of using clan's abilities besides killing"

"And there were people organizing to look for her and ask her to take the leader's place", Alex added, "It was all about power"

"What about the other sister?"

"She was by Aura's side, but her health wasn't good. She was a strong shaman but had a disease that made impossible for her to use demons the same way the others did"

"And he killed her easily…", Anna concluded. It was a sad story.

"Yes, but they saw it coming", Al shrugged and smiled at her, "They did all the arrangements to keep their kids safe, Rain and Reiner were older than Alex so we all stayed together… You were supposed to have a quiet life far away of all of this"

"You moved to America then, right?"

"Yes, we did. After picking up Xana and his mother"

"You said she had the same problem I have… How did she fix it?"

"You'll see in time", Alex and Al answered at the same time with a big smile.

Anna frowned at them. Why the mystery? She wanted to fix it NOW! How hard was to understand that?!

"Don't look at us like that", Alex put a hand on Anna's head and smiled warmly, "You are in the right way. Just give it time, if we tell you, that could be stressing for you, the process must be natural for it to work. But it will take time"

"I won't tell you what Eri thinks", Anna said, looking at her pissed.

"Wha―!", Alex looked at her shocked and then pissed, "C'mon! Don't be childish!"

Anna stood up and walked back to the house ignoring Alex's complaints, who then started whining after her, Anna smiled satisfied with herself. Alex was so easy to manipulate.

"I WON'T TELL YOU EITHER!", she yelled out loud at Anna's back making her turn. Anna looked at her with blank expression but inside was in rage, how could that not be enough to make her spit it up?!, "I won't say a word because I will make no good for you!"

She passed by Anna's side, stomping in anger. Anna followed her, frowning at her back. Aldara was containing her laugh while she walked after them. The sisters sat down apart in the living room, giving killing looks to each other.

"Why are you screaming?", Eri scolded Alex at the couch, "I bet even the neighbors could hear you"

"I'm sorry…", Alex looked at her softening her eyes. What did Anna mean before?

"Hey, Anna you shouldn't be this rude with him", Rain said pointing at her, "Do you know HOW HARD is to find a guy who actually wants to be formal?!"

"That's right, you don't have to marry tomorrow", Reiner added, shrugging.

"It's not of your business!", Anna protested, blushing by their comments. She knew they were right but she wasn't ready for something like that. Xana made a sound like the error sound used at TV show contests making her look at the blond guy puzzled.

"That's a WROOOOOOONG answer!", he said like a TV show host.

"We are family, your life will ALWAYS be of our business even if you don't want it to be", Rain pointed out grinning, "Get used to with!", she said with singing voice.

"Family?", Anna mumbled, frowning at her… she had never had a _family_ before, her life was hers and just hers so it wasn't of their business no matter what they say.

"I'm sorry sis", Alex hugged her from the back with a smirk, "But you know what they say: You can choose your friends but not your family"

"Don't hug me!", Anna glared at her.

"Set yourself free", Alex challenged her. Laughed out loud when she saw Anna's strength wasn't enough to get free, "Awww. Are you trying to hug me back? Hehehe"

"OF COURSE NOT! LET ME GO!" Anna was really mad now, she was trying with all her forces to get free but it was useless.

Yoh looked at the scene laughing with the others. Anna was writhing and yelling at Alex, trying to get away, and Alex was smiling maliciously, enjoying every single gesture of her little sister. Even if she had a hard time accepting it or if she wasn't used to that kind of affection, Yoh was happy that she had a family now.

.

* * *

.

"C'mon Anna! You can't be mad at me for something like that!", he laughed softly. She was mad because he didn't help her but laughed last night, "It was a funny scene, seriously"

SLAP!

And she walked leaving him behind with his swollen cheek. But he smiled after that slap because he saw her light blush and knew she was just adapting. Alex turned out to be an affectionate and cheerful sister, he knew that she planned to get Anna out of her comfort zone at every single opportunity, maybe it had something to do with fixing her reishi issue.

"Hey! Kyoyama!"

Anna pretended she didn't hear that classmate calling her, that girl had never talked to her before and now she was doing it just because some photos of the rehearsal had filtered.

"Don't be stupid Kyoyama is a fake name. Her last name is Terruzzi, like Alexandra"

Anna ignored the comment and walked faster to her classroom, luckily Manta was already there so she had a way to avoid her classmates if they approached. She felt uncomfortable when all of them turned to look at her, then she felt pissed when they started to murmur about her... Maybe it was a good idea to look for another school.

She sat at her desk after saying hello to Manta and looked through the window ignoring the murmurs and thoughts around. The teacher arrived a few minutes later, so her classmates didn't have a chance to talk to her and ask their stupid questions.

"Open your book at page 25", the teacher said writing on the board. She turned and looked at them with the book in one hand, "Kyoyama start the reading"

"Nice…", Anna thought sarcastically. Stood and started reading, hearing all their thoughts. C'mon they were not the Guns N' Roses or The Rolling Stones for god sake! They were good, but not famous enough to make a big deal of she being their vocalist's sister!

"Thanks, Kyoyama. Tanaka, you are next."

Anna sat down again, she was expecting this was just for the recent events and that everyone would forget about her in a few weeks. When the first period was over, she fled from the classroom to the school's roof, she sat down on the floor sighing in relief for being alone. She looked up to the sky thinking about the cost-benefit of finding her sister and living with her and the other guys. Now she didn't have the necessity of a part time job, she was looking for one just to have her own money but it was no longer a priority since Alex insisted on be her financial support from now on and it was cool, but it was weird to live with so many people and the fact of them being so authentically nice was even more weird.

"But none of them tells me what I need to know", she whispered.

She was suspecting than they all knew what was reishi and how to control it, but they could control their thoughts and block that information from her. Why? Alex said it was for her own sake even when she was dying to know Eri's thoughts. Anna couldn't contain a chuckle followed by a smirk, well, Alex would be suffering for a while.

"Hey! Why so lonely? I'm surprised your boyfriend is not around", Hans said appearing in front of her.

"We are on different classes…", she answered and look at him curiously, "You are not like Al", it was an affirmation not a question.

"You are a sharp girl", he said smiling like usual, "No, she is a vampire and I'm just a half", he raised one hand to avoid her question, "Don't ask"

"So, that's why you don't hide at sun light", she said thoughtfully.

"Anna?", Yoh appeared through the door leading to the roof and looked at her curious, then looked at Hans who smiled broadly as greeting. "Why are you here?", Yoh asked without putting his eyes away from Hans.

"Just checking everything is ok. I'll be around. C' ya!", he jumped out of their sight.

Anna centered her attention in Yoh's thoughts, he didn't like to see her with Hans alone but he decided to not comment it, so she decided to ignore his mind. He sat down next to her and looked to the sky.

"I never thought I would see you running away", he said thoughtfully without looking at her.

"I'm not running, I'm avoiding annoying thoughts"

"It must be hard. But at least you know who is honest and who isn't"

"I hope everyone forgets about this soon", she said, closing her eyes in the middle of a sigh. Yoh chuckled, Anna wasn't a sociable person and being at the spotlight should be hard for sure.

"Did you ask her?", he changed the subject. They haven't talked about the conversation Anna had with Al and Alex last night. She repeated the story for him. "So, she was pursued by her ideals"

"Yes, like the guy from the other day said: It's just politics", she said calmly. Now she could say than maybe her mother was a good person who wanted to stop her blood from killing to live and didn't want that kind of life for her kids, that's why she ran away with her lover.

Both kept looking to the sky, a fresh breeze passed by. Silence between them.

"What about her ability to create onis?"

"Alex pissed me of, so I didn't ask about that", she answered, frowning with her eyes closed. Damn Alex, how was it possible to not manipulate her with that?!

Yoh laughed out loud after that comment and the pissed face of Anna.

"I bet that's because she didn't tell you how to fix reishi. But, give it time. It's pretty obvious she cares, maybe she is right about not telling you"

"Are you by her side?!"

Yoh shivered by the killing look she gave him and rushed to explain.

"I mean, she said you were in the right path. Maybe she is guiding you without saying it, like a master with his student"

Anna thought about it for a minute, maybe he was right. Mrs. Kino was like that sometimes, just giving a vague idea and guiding her without saying/thinking about it or giving more clues.

"I think, you should trust a little more", Yoh said, smiling warmly to her. "Just like you trusted me before, now you have to trust in other people as well"

"… I met her 2 days ago. How am I supposed to trust?"

"Well, she saved your life", Yoh shrugged. "Just give her a chance with her methods"

Anna looked up again, maybe he was right about that point… The differences between the two of them were obvious, and if her mother's guardian agreed with Alex then the only way by now was to trust even if it was hard to do it.

.

* * *

.

"Hey! How was school?", Rain stirred the hair of Yoh and Anna at the same time, just a few seconds after they crossed the door.

"Hey! How was school?", Reiner did the same before they could answer to his sister… Those twins were annoying.

"Don't irritate her, she seems to be like Eri", Xana said reading a book at the couch.

Both girls glared at him at the same time. The twins and Yoh chuckled, that made clear why Anna had some sympathy with Eri.

"Hans went to school today. Did you send him?" Yoh asked looking at the guys.

"I asked him to keep an eye on you", Alex entered the living room with some paper sheets on her hands, "It's not safe, knowing that guy is here"

"But you smashed him" Yoh looked at her confused, there was no way of someone recovering after that. When he arrived with Manta and Tamao, that guy's head and torso were broken and smashed like if it was an insect, with blood and viscera spread.

"He can regenerate after that kind of damage. The methods of my uncle are more aggressive, his sons had become half humans so they don't die with something like that", Alex explained, sitting at the floor. "My dear uncle is still mad at me because of what I did 3 years ago. That's why he wants revenge and, of course, had been following us for the last 3 years"

"I'm still wondering why do you have a band. It's one of the most exposed jobs around the world" Anna asked, sitting at the couch. "And you called yourself 'Black Mist', like the barrier that guy used"

"We like music and we are good, that's enough reason to made this a way of living", Alex said looking at her seriously, "The name is also our way of telling him: We are not afraid. Also, the family is well known at the underworld. If they kill us or do something at a show, press will be there and the _'clients'_ will know exactly what happened. And the mafia or powerful people are his _clients._ The clients don't kill people just for fun, they have reasons. There is no reason to kill a bunch of punks, they give them money: they go to bars, drink, buy merchandise they don't need, some of them buy drugs, etc. Plus, some of those punks are their relatives, if he kills some of them he could lose his clients"

"That's why he was after Anna…" Yoh said, now he was worried again.

"Yes, but now everybody knows you are my sister", Alex said looking at the sheets of paper she had on her hands, "So, he has to be careful now. But, that doesn't mean he won't try to kill us all", she said that just like if she was talking about weather.

"Is that the new one?", Xana asked looking at her. She gave him one of the paper sheets and they all started talking about accords, lyrics, rhythm, etc.

Anna took Yoh by the arm to go study upstairs. She wasn't sure if the relationship with her sister and the other members of the "family" would work, none of them was giving answers or at least not complete answers, so she could not trust them like Yoh suggested.

Yoh left after the dinner and she stayed at her room, it was the only place in that enormous house (if not mansion) were she wasn't uncomfortable. They were nice people, no doubt about that, but they were strangers no matter about the blood links. Anna was immersed on her thoughts when Alex nocked the door, the blond kept looking to the door for a few seconds, not sure about letting her in. Alex had change her entire life in just two days and she needed some time with herself… She finally sighed and let her in, maybe she had decided to speak.

The older sister sat down at the desk's chair while the younger was at the bed, both looked at each other for a minute without saying a word like if they were guessing the thoughts of the other one. They maintained their position until Alex gave Anna a book, when she looked closer she noticed it wasn't a book, it was a photo album. That was curious, why was she giving her an album?

"I was thinking about it and maybe I can give you hints without telling you all so you don't press yourself", Alex said, smiling at her. "Al saved this one, the pictures could give you a hint"

Anna opened the album in silence. The pictures were disposed in chronological order: the first pages dedicated to her parents, then Alex as she was growing up with them and a lot of pictures of her mother with a growing belly, the last ones included a blond baby with them. The last picture caught her attention, her mother was not aware of the camera because she wasn't looking nor posing: she was looking at her baby, her forehead in contact with the baby's, her eyes and smile were talking for her. You could see an unconditional, limitless love emanating from them.

She closed the album feeling a knot in the throat. It had no sense to feel that, she didn't even get to know that woman who was her mother, why was she feeling like that?! Alex sat at the bed next to her and took the album from her hands, opened it at the same page where Anna had seen that picture and a nostalgic smile appeared on her face.

"Dad took that one. I remember I was jealous, because she had you in her arms all time and looked at you that way", she laughed softly cleaning a tear that had dared to scape, "But, after all that happened I started to look at this album once and again, and noticed she had the same eyes for me. That's the first time I felt like an idiot, for being jealous about you"

"How is that a hint?", Anna asked recovering, but her voice didn't sound as strong as she wanted.

"Well. Your problem is related to feelings, you have been apart of people who loves you and that's one reason for reishi"

"Am I supposed to get better if I stay with you?"

Alex laughed softly. She was still resisting the idea of living with them.

"That could help if we get close and you think about us like family, but I know it will take time for you to trust me and the others"

"I don't know how a family is supposed to be…"

"Aaam. Well, we fight and argue all the time, sometimes they do pranks to each other and other times you want to kill one of them if not all", Alex explained under Anna's incredulous and astonished look, "But, at the end, you know they will be always there. Even if you had an epic fight minutes ago, if you need help they will be there. Sometimes you will think they don't care, or than they are being too severe and unsensitive or annoying, but then you see they do everything for your good. Family is those people who is always there for you, you can count on them and they can count on you"

"Rain and Reiner annoy me like nobody else had ever annoyed me before", Anna said, frowning at her knees. Alex laughed out loud by that comment and then smiled at her.

"Well, those two are just like this since they were kids, that can't be helped. But they will always protect you, just give them a chance"

"But they don't bother Eri"

"They do, when she is in a good mood and it is safe for them and everyone else"

"… she is in a bad mood because of you now, right?"

Alex coughed and looked away, it wasn't necessary for Anna to know her record and the insanity she had done weeks ago just for a crush.

"… reishi, remember?", Anna looked at her with narrowed eyes and raising an eyebrow, "I know what you did. I just want to know if it is frequent". She realized it was frequent when Alex blushed and looked to the ceiling by the corner of her eye. "So, you don't have clue. Do you?"

"A clue about what?", her sister asked, tilting her head curious.

Anna sighed and covered her face with the palm of one hand. Alex was older, but she was so naive.

"Ok. You gave me a hint, I'll give you one too", she stated. Crossed her arms and looked at Alex severely, making her shiver, "Just think about the time she starts to be mad in every single occasion"

"I don't know! I can't read her mind!"

Anna rolled her eyes, that would be hard, it seemed like her older sister needed to be taught with apples when it was about that subject. So, she started explaining in the easiest way she could think.

A redhaired woman smiled tenderly at them, looking from the shadow of her master. Their broken family was finally starting to assemble.

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! Thank you all for reading and for your support. This chapter was less YxA and more "family", but I thought it was necessary. Special thanks to sasou, AnnaAsakura12 and S. Kagamine-chan (I can't believe you were S.D.P xD I love your stories! Thanks again for your summary c:).

Hope to see you around! Have nice day/night! :)


	10. Chapter 10

**The other side...**

 **.**

"Ok. Do - you - understand?", Anna asked pausing after every single word, with dark circles under her eyes. She was exhausted, thanking gods there wasn't school the next day.

"Are you sure?", Alex said, tilting her head like a dog who doesn't understand the master's order.

Anna glared at her wanting to kill her in the most painful way she could think.

"Alex… I ―she pointed herself― read ―made the gesture of reading― minds… I CAN READ MIIIIIIIIINDS! DO YOU REALLY THINK I'M NOT SURE?!"

Alex shrank on the bed, Anna sounded just like Eri or Al when they yelled at her.

"But, maybe you just misunderstood it. Eri was the first one breaking me, so I doubt―", she was interrupted by Anna's punch, directly on her eye, "HEY!", she protested upset.

"YOU misunderstood that! From now on you won't think about it and you will just follow my directions", Anna stated severely, pointing her with her index finger, "If I say frog you jump! Got it?!"

"But―"

"I said: GOT - IT?!", she repeated with a menacing voice.

"… got… it", Alex muttered, wondering why was her little sister giving the orders and why she was willing to obey. "But… I don't think I feel that way…", she received a punch in the other eye, "HEY! STOP THAT!"

"Your body heals itself in a few minutes, don't cry by that", Anna said frowning at her, "And you feel the same it's just you don't notice it, and I can give you proofs even if I can't read your mind"

Someone knocked the door, it was Rain inviting them to play some games downstairs. Anna tried to refuse, but they took her by the wrists and forced her to go with them while she was wondering how the hell they were so strong, their hands around her wrists were like shackles.

.

.

.

"Oh, c'mon!" Alex complained frustrated, throwing away the cards. She couldn't believe Anna was winning every single game, she left all of them penniless.

"I told you: I used to work at a casino. And you insisted on play poker and bet real money", Anna said calmly. It wasn't her fault, she warned them.

"I told you: she got the brain", Eri said with a mocking smile directed to Alex.

"You are out of money too", Alex muttered, looking at Eri with narrowed eyes.

Xana stood up abruptly, looking to garden's direction and then running there. Reiner and Rain followed him, while Alex, Aldara and Eri ran to the other side, ordering Anna to stay inside with Hans.

"What's wrong?", Anna asked. She had felt the presence of someone out there, but it disappeared and didn't feel strong.

"I'm not the only 'wall' around, there are other guys who can hide his thoughts and presence, even pretend to be weak. Don't trust on that kind of perceptions so blindly", Hans said by her side.

Xana rushed into the room again and threw Anna a cellphone. She looked at him puzzled until she understood what he was thinking and ran upstairs to look for Yoh's and Manta's phone number. She called Yoh but the line was dead, then called Manta.

"Pick up... pick up... pick up…" she murmured nervously. The phone was ringing, but there was no answer, so he wasn't around or maybe he was asleep, it was about midnight…

"Hello…", he said with sleepy voice.

"Manta! Are you ok?! Are you at Yoh's place?!"

She heard him scream on the other side of the line. She ran downstairs to meet the others and board the van.

"Manta!"

"A-anna?!", he asked extremely surprised. That's when she realized he had screamed because she scared him with her own scream.

"Yes, it's me. Are you with Yoh or not?", she asked with her usual voice this time.

"Ah! Yeah, he is asleep. Do you want to talk with him?".

"No, wake him up. And tell him we are on our way, stay alert"

"What's wrong?", he asked concerned. Trying to wake up his friend.

"Annie…", Yoh mumbled sleepy and smiling.

" _What is he dreaming?!"_ , Anna thought. She heard him clearly trough the phone. "Manta, put the phone on his ear and let me know when you are ready"

"Ready"

"WAKE UP FUCKING PERVERT! YOU ARE IN DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!"

She smiled perversely when she heard Yoh's scream and Manta's laugh, then end the call to show Xana the way to Yoh's place.

.

* * *

.

"Why did she do that?", Yoh whined. He was drowsy, dressing up slowly. "Did she tell you why are they coming?"

"No, but she sounded worried", Manta answered seriously. "Maybe is the guy from the other day, they can't go for Anna easily now, so maybe someone is coming for us".

"That's possible… But I don't feel someone around, go and wake up the guys, I'll go check outside."

He looked around the entire house but didn't find anything strange and no other's presence besides the ones of his friends inside the inn, so he turned to go inside and wait for Anna.

"Master Yoh!"

Amidamaru's warning saved him from the shot, he jumped to the left and the bullet just grazed his cheek. Yoh turned making his oversoul to face his opponent but couldn't see or feel someone around. Another shot, this time Amidamaru protected him changing his oversoul shape.

"Where is he?", Yoh asked his spirit, "I can't feel him nor see it"

"I can't either, but I can see the bullets when they are about to hit", his guardian answered, "Let's determine his location with that"

"Great! I'm following you Amidamaru"

Another shot, but this time from the other side, then by his back, left, front… There was no way of finding the shooter because the shots were coming from all directions and by more than one at the same time. He was trying to think how to get away from the situation when one hit his left leg.

"Damn! They are becoming faster. Could you see something?", he asked his spirit. Someone else answered instead of the samurai, Yoh heard the "click" of a gun and felt the cold metal on his temple. He looked to the man without moving, he was using a hood so Yoh could not see his face in the dark.

"You managed to avoid me, that's why I'm showing you respect and talking to you before taking your life. Do you have a last wish?", his voice was cold and indifferent. No emotion at all.

"I have a last wish. But I can't accomplish it if you kill me now", Yoh answered calmly.

The man laughed after his answer.

"I see. Don't worry, I assure you: you will be together. I'll kill her soon"

A lightning bolt fell right on the man's head and damaged Yoh as well, making him hit the ground. He felt someone helping him to get up, but couldn't say who, he was feeling dizzy and disoriented. All turned black after a few steps.

Yoh woke up and looked around disoriented, he was on his room, using a white yukata and had some bandages on his leg.

"What happened?", he mumbled and sat on the futon. His head complained when he tried to stand up, so he decided to stay at the futon by now. The door opened, he looked up on that direction and blushed when he saw Anna there… He usually dreamed with her walking into his room and now she was there... Was this a dream or reality? He covered his mouth after thinking that and looked at her scared, she would slap him for sure.

"Are you feeling better?", she asked sitting by his side.

Yoh blinked astonished. Was this a dream? Wouldn't she punish him for dreaming with her? She frowned with a light blush on her cheeks, so he responded immediately.

"Yeah…", he touched his head and looked at her confused, "What happened?"

"Reiner attacked him with a lightning bolt, but it touched you too. That guy was about to shot you so he had no choice, he says he is sorry"

"He doesn't need to be sorry. I could be dead if it wasn't by him", Yoh said scratching his head and smiling at her. "But, who was him?"

"Alex says he is the older son of our uncle…", Anna answered and then looked down. "I'm sorry…"

"Why?"

"It's my fault, you are in danger because of our relationship", she said feeling guilty. He had helped her so much and now he was risking his life just because they were close.

"Hey", he said with a soft voice and took her hand, "An insane relative it's not your fault. I had an insane twin brother, you know. And I'm sure everything will turn all right in the end, we just have to work together, all of us".

Anna looked up, he had a big smile painted on his face. That smile made her forget about all the worries and think than he was right, they had to work together to put an end to it. The problem was how, that man seemed to be vengeful and he wouldn't leave them alone easily.

"Are you sure about…?"

He silenced her with a soft kiss. She felt her heart skipping a beat with that kiss and with its meaning.

"I told you: I won't leave you alone", he said, caressing her face with a tenderly smile on his lips. She touched his hand on her face and smiled back at him, now she was sure: she couldn't live without him.

"I won't leave you either", she whispered and kissed him briefly. "I was scared… When I saw him pointing at you… I..."

"I'm fine. I can't die without knowing your answer", he smiled broadly.

"My answer?", she asked giving him a confused look.

"Don't worry about that. I'll ask you properly one day", he said with his usual smile.

Anna looked at him trying to remember what she hadn't answered. Then she realized the room was almost silent, his thoughts were diffuse and almost inaudible so she couldn't understand all. Was she tired? Or maybe he was still dizzy by Reiner's lightning bolt.

"You should rest a little more. We will talk on the morning, good night", she told him and kissed him good night. Was about to stood up when he grasped her wrist and looked at her, blushing. She looked at him raising an eyebrow, this time she could listen his thoughts. "I won't sleep with you. What would everyone think?!"

"But we have done before…", he whined, remembering the day of their first kiss. Well, he slept on a futon next to her bed, but they were at the same room.

The door opened from a sudden, Alex stayed at the door frame looking both of them with eyes wide opened and still holding the door knob, then approached to Yoh with an assassin look that made him shiver terrified… that wasn't the smiling relaxed young lady that he had met a couple days ago. Alex took him by the yukata, raised him in the air and looked him directly in the eyes, she was furious. Anna looked at the scene confused. What bug has bitten her?

"HAVE YOU BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE FROM HER?!", Alex yelled in rage.

"WERE YOU LISTENING?!", this time Anna yelled furious and blushing.

"Just the last part!", she cried out to her sister and then furious to Yoh: "HAVE YOU TOUCHED HER OR NOT?! YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A LONELY GIRL!"

Yoh looked at her puzzled, of course he had touched her to take her hand or kiss her, they were a couple and that should be normal for Alex. Well, maybe he took advantage of Anna to make her his girlfriend, because she was lonely and didn't had competition or someone limiting his visits.

"Well, I've touched her like a boyfriend is supposed to touch his girlfriend", he answered innocently.

"YOH!", Anna yelled at him. He was so… he was so Yoh with that kind of stuff. He didn't even understand the real meaning of the question!

"You fucking―!", Alex freed one hand and raised it forming a claw, she didn't shredded Yoh's neck because of Anna's hands over her, "ANNA, DON'T STOP ME! HE DESERVES IT FOR BEING A JERK!"

"HE IS AN IDIOT BUT NOT THAT KIND OF IDIOT!", Anna roared, now scared about her sister. This was the first time she had seen her in rage, and she was completely different from the usual Alex.

"HEY! What's happening here?! People are trying to sleep!", Eri broke in frowning at them, but mostly to Alex because she was sure she had started.

"Alex was spying us and she got everything wrong!", Anna cried out, seizing the opportunity to freed Yoh from Alex's grasp.

"I wasn't spying, I came to tell you where we were supposed to sleep and then I heard this asshole saying you have already slept together!", Alex tried furiously to grasp him again, but Eri hold her back trying to calm her down.

"Yoh is an idiot because he didn't understand your question! And that's all!", Anna cried out. Then explained the two of them what did Yoh mean with his comments and Alex finally relaxed, sighed in relief and smiled as always.

"Hehehe. I'm sorry, I got you wrong", she said scratching the back of her head, "But you should be careful with your words, Yoh"

"He is not like you and you can tell just looking at him", Eri said leaving the room. "Go sleep, we have the concert tomorrow. And we have to prepare everything, including their safety"

"What do you mean by that?", Alex asked following her outside. "I have never taken advantage of anyone"

"Yeah. And getting late with a lonely broken girl at bar isn't taking advantage", she said sarcastically. "Just go bed!"

Yoh and Anna heard their discussion walking away in the hall, he looked at her still confused and she just sighed and kissed him good night again to follow her sister and Eri trough the hall. They kept with their argument until the room they were supposed to share with Rain, Anna looked at her cousin who took two futons and guided her to sleep in Xana's and Reiner's room.

"Those two won't shut up until they fall sleep. If we want to sleep this is our best chance", Rain explained giving Anna her futon and installing her own.

Anna obeyed, but couldn't sleep because she was still worried about the situation. She sat on her futon and looked at her cousins, they were deeply asleep like if nothing was happening.

"They have iron nerves…", she murmured in the silence of the room.

"They are used to danger"

Anna startled and looked around for Al. But she wasn't around.

"At the ceiling", she indicated.

Anna looked up and saw Aldara sitting at the ceiling with arms and legs crossed, upside down, against all logic.

"What are you doing there?", she asked raising an eyebrow. She was always at her sister's side as a good guardian.

"There is too much tension on that room. I can't stand couple fights", she answered shrugging.

"But, they are not a couple…"

"Yeah. That's what they think. Never mind", she smiled at Anna. "What about a night training? You can't sleep anyway, maybe some exercise will help"

Anna thought about it for a few minutes and then accepted the offer, she needed to be stronger and maybe if she felt as strong as they did she could sleep carelessly like all of them. Both went out to the back yard, Anna looked at Al waiting for her instructions.

"Just stand there", Aldara said walking a few steps forward.

Anna looked at her carefully while she walked and then when she turned to face her again… She was supporting almost all of her weight at her right leg and that was strange, Aldara's balance was always perfect.

"What's wrong with your left leg?", she asked.

"Just a scratch, you know, when I followed the other guy", Aldara said shrugging and smiling. "Now close your eyes"

Anna narrowed her eyes. Al had incredibly fast recovery skills, even if she took a massive damage it should be healed by now. She looked up to the inn's second floor, they were just under the windows of the rooms where her sister and the others were and she couldn't hear Eri and Alex's argument anymore, so they were asleep… or applying the law of ice to each other, but they were quiet that was the point.

"They stopped fighting… Could you check if they are ok?", she asked trying to hide her suspicions.

"They are grown ups, leave them alone and let's train a little bit. You have to become stronger if you want to protect yourself"

"Ok. Just let me check, I'll be back in a minute", Anna said and turned to go inside again. She was stopped by Aldara's claws around her neck, menacing her throat.

"Ok girl, I wanted to do this silently and friendly, but if you want to feel fear before you die then it's up to you", with that said, she buried her claws on the blond girl's throat and throw her away. She looked at Anna for a while, making sure this time she was dead, touched her wrist looking for pulse and put an ear on her chest. She smiled when the teen's heartbeat stopped, then changed her shape to recover her usual brown hair and blue eyes. "You were too naive. Rest in peace, little Anna"

"You know. That kind of tricks could work with an unexperienced girl like her, but not with a 500-year-old vampire"

She looked up to meet Alex's eyes, the young lady was sitting at the window of her room and looking at her with a serene expression. " _She shouldn't be this relaxed!"_ , she thought, knowing there was something wrong, so looked back at Anna's dead body and shocked when saw her standing again.

"What the...?!"

"Al is our night body guard. Did you seriously think you could hide from her?", Alex said with grim expression. She could kill the woman only with her eyes, "Nobody will ever touch a single hair of my little sister as long as I'm by her side"

The injured Anna jumped and changed her shape into a red-haired vampire with sharp claws than ripped her throat and then bit the intruder draining all her vitality away. The real Anna looked at the scene from window, she was surprised, confused and incredulous at the same time. When she turned to go inside, she suddenly appeared wrapped into Eri's arms who was muting her by covering Anna's mouth with one hand. Alex was next to the window, looking outside with a grim expression she had never seen on that always smiling young lady.

Now Anna's eyes were glued on Aldara who was consuming that other vampire, the intruder was becoming older every second. Alex jumped inside the room from the frame and closed the window.

"She doesn't like to be seen when she is eating", Alex explained and went to her futon.

"What just happened?", Anna asked still confused.

"Al just switched places with you using Eri's help. They were so much faster than her, it was easy. Now go bed, there is nothing to worry about at night when Al is around"

"S _o, that's why they sleep without worries_ ", Anna thought leaving the room. At least she could sleep now… but couldn't help to think about Alex's behavior. She was a warm, caressing, sometimes clumsy and completely useless when it comes to affairs of the heart, but a good person... or at least the day by day side of her was like that. At situations like today's she was grim, scary and had an assassin aura around, not to mention Al who was clearly a killing machine. " _But, she was just protecting me, right? Alex didn't lie, she told me she had killed some people 3 years ago in order to defend herself and her beloved ones… But…"_ She got chills when she remembered her attitude with Yoh earlier, maybe she was a little overprotective with her and anyone hurting her could be in danger because of Alex's impulsiveness, " _I must be careful with my words in front of her… Yoh too, he must be careful"_ , she fell asleep with that last thought and an almost imperceptible smile on her face, even if her older sister was scary and impulsive when she was mad, it was feeling good to have someone else besides of Yoh taking care of her.

.

 _ **To be continued...**_

 _ **.**_

* * *

Hi there! I'm sorry, it's been a while since my last update. But I'll finish this, I promisse! Thank you all for reading, especially sasou, AnnaAsakura12, S. Kagamine-chan and Rozan-ji for your comments and continuous support.

I hope to update soon, thanks again and have a nice day/night! :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Goodbye?**

 **.**

Anna woke up alone in the room. She changed the yukata for the black dress she was wearing the previous day and went downstairs where she could hear the people's voices. Yoh stood up as soon as she appeared at the door frame of the living room and walked to stand in front of Anna, looking at her with concerned eyes and caressing her hands.

"Are you ok?"

She sighed, they shouldn't have told him about that last event or at least not the part of that female vampire trying to kill her, now he was worried and would be overprotective with her just as Alex.

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"Never mind, I'm used to wounds"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you. But we are short of time today, you can be worried for each other once we are gone", Eri said sharply to them. She was on a bad mood…

The rest of the band, Yoh and Anna glared at Alex in that moment. The aforementioned opened her mouth and shrugged doing a gesture that made clear she didn't know what she had done and why they were glaring at her. They all rolled their eyes while Yoh and Anna walked in to have a sit.

"Then the guy who shoot Yoh was your cousin", Horo said to retake the subject. "And he tried to kill Anna by sending a servant"

"Yes. That's it", Alex nodded. Thanking him in her inner focus for the intervention.

"So, we must be aware at night because they are stronger after the sunset", Ren added.

"Yes, but you should also be aware at day light. They can create a special barrier that acts like an artificial night", Xana pointed out.

"What do you suggest then?", Ryu asked.

"Take turns. Hans will stay here at night", Eri said. Then looked Anna, "You will too, since you can't go with us"

Anna nodded, she knew and it was painful to know because if it wouldn't for reishi she could be in the backstage with Awaya.

"We are just guests today, so we should be done early", Alex smiled at her sister knowing how much she was suffering by that.

"Just if you don't want to stay for the after party", Eri pointed out frowning at her.

"Wha- What the hell is wrong with you?! I can't think on partying! She is danger!", Alex exclaimed incredulous and mad with her.

"And here we go again", Xana commented rolling his eyes. Then continued, ignoring the girls' argument: "Anyway, they use demons. Anna should be capable of seal most of them, you just have to be aware of vampires. Weaken them and Hans will finish the job."

The meeting was interrupted by the sound of a slap rumbling all over the place. They all looked Eri walking outside and Alex frowning at her with a red hand marked on her cheek.

"Well, that's all. Anna let's go home and get you some clothes", Rain said standing and smiling at the girl, ignoring the discussion between her colleagues.

They did as they planned and drove Anna back to the inn. She was uncomfortable staying there with Yoh's friends but had no choice.

Yoh's friends were noisy but at least the girls were not so bad, she was used to Tamao by now and she could get along with Pilika, mostly because she wasn't a fan of her sister's band, so she didn't have stupid thoughts about that nor was interested in spending time with Alex. And she had to admit than Ren was nice too, he wasn't like Ryu and Horo-Horo, he was quiet and polite, not annoying at all.

"I'm glad to finally meet you", the Chinese boy said sitting next to her in the hall with view to the backyard. The door was opened and the noise was still audible but lower at their location, "Yoh said you met each other about a year ago. He hasn't stopped talking about you since I'm here"

"He told me about you as well. He told me everything about the Shaman Fight"

"Did he said I saved his ass?", he asked with a proud smile.

"Well… Not exactly…"

Yoh started looking for Anna when he noticed she wasn't talking with Pilika anymore, thinking than maybe she was already uncomfortable with so many people, then he saw her talking with Ren… in the hall… apart of everyone else… He was moving like if he was telling about his battles, was he trying to impress her?! Why?! And why was she smiling like if she was amused?! She never smiled like that when he told her about the tournament.

"See?! That's how I saved his ass! He is an idiot for not mention our help there!", he crossed his arms pissed with Yoh, "I never thought he would not give us credit just to impress a girl"

"Ok. I got it, you were the key to defeat Hao", she said amused by his pride, it was big enough for feeling offended just because Yoh didn't mentioned all his moves.

"Hey! Why are you so apart?", Yoh sat just between them with his usual big smile. But Anna could read him easily, she frowned at him. "Did you get bored of all of us?"

"Don't be an idiot! We were just talking and he is one of your best friends!", Anna hissed in Yoh's ear so only he could hear.

"Of course. You are too noisy", Ren glared at him. "You told her the Shaman Fight story showing yourself like the hero and not mentioning our efforts!", he pointed at Yoh with white eyes and pissed, "You would have died without us!"

"Why do you want to be a hero in front of her?", Yoh frowned at his friend.

Ren changed his rage look for one incredulous. Was he serious?! Then he became furious again.

"ARE YOU INSANE?! SHE IS YOUR GIRLFRIEND AND I'M DATING TOO!"

"WHAT?! ARE YOU DATING?!", Horo jumped from his seat incredulous and then pointed pissed to Ren with his index finger. "NO WAY! YOU CAN'T HAVE A GIRLFRIEND BEFORE I DO!"

"I'm classy and a 1000 times more handsome than you!", Ren yelled back with an arrogant smile.

"No way! That's a lie! You just said that because you are competing with Yoh!"

"I DON'T WASTE MY TIME WITH STUPID COMPETITIONS LIKE THAT!", Ren roared and then crossed his arms in a winner attitude, "And I date with her before Yoh had met Anna!", pointed Horo with his finger, "You are the only loser without a girlfriend!"

Horo felt that comment like a spear throwed directly in his heart and a black aura surrounded him while he started drawing circles in the floor with his finger. "Life is not fair…", he mumbled.

Anna crossed her arms under her chest and frowned at Yoh, it was the fault of his jealousy, his ridiculous and without fundament jealousy. How could he be so insecure?! He was the only one approaching her for god sake!

"We have to talk", she said to him and stood to walk away indicating him to do the same.

Yoh gulped nervously, she was mad and those words never meant something good. He followed Anna until they reached a tree, far enough to talk without being heard.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!", she cried out. She wasn't in rage, but was really mad and hurt because of his lack of trust in her.

"I'm sorry… It's just… Well…", he couldn't explain because he had never felt like this before.

"We can't go further if you don't trust me!"

Yoh panicked when she said that. Then looked into her eyes, she was in pain because of that… Of course, she had opened her heart only to him (and it took about a year) and he was stupid enough to think she could do that with people she recently had met.

"I'm sorry… I'm an idiot… It's just… Well…" he moved nervous and scratched the back of his head it was hard to say it out loud, "Well, I thought about those things Alex said last night…"

Anna shook her head slightly, she was now confused, Alex's words had nothing to do with him being jealous.

"And, maybe she was right… Maybe you would open with anyone taking the time to reach you and anyone who would try to help you… I just took advantage of the situation, you would fall in love with anyone who had tried to save you."

"Yoh… Alex didn't mean that when she said: _"taking advantage"_ ", Anna said in the middle of a sigh.

"Maybe not, but I really think it could be like that. Maybe if someone else freed you from that problem, you could fall with him instead of me…", he added looking away. Next thing he felt was a slap, but not the stronger she had given him.

"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!"

He looked at her surprised, she was angry but not angry like " _I will kill you"_ it was more like an " _I hate you"_.

"Maybe you are right. Maybe if someone else had insisted like you did, I would fall with him instead of you", she said looking down with a low voice, then looked up, "But, no one came but you. You were the only one too stubborn to give up on me and I will never forget that." Her voice broke a little so she had to clench her fist to continue: "It doesn't matter if someone else comes here with a magic wand and takes this off me in a second, because you were the only one taking the time of knowing me and trying to help me. I would have never known about my parents and Alex without you, even if she would find me I wouldn't believe her without knowing the past. SO, STOP THINKING NONSENSE!"

He noticed how she tried to stay firm in her position and pretend she was just mad with him, but she was shivering and her eyes were glassy.

" _It was hard for her to say that…"_ , he thought feeling himself guilty because one way or another he had forced her to say it. But he was also relieved because of her words. Yoh approached to her and give her a tenderness hug, "I'm sorry. It will never happen again… Unless someone is really trying to go after you…"

"Idiot"

Yoh smiled, because he felt her lips forming a smile against his neck.

"Hey, lovebirds! Come here, we are looking their show on streaming!", Horo called them from the corridor. He was mad and depressed at the same time.

"Streaming? I didn't know you could see it on internet", Yoh looked curious at Anna. She denied with her head and explained him that it was a gift for their fans and a marketing strategy, they will broadcast live just that song. "It's a smart strategy. Their own concert is next week, right?"

"Yeah, but all the tickets were sold. The record company is announcing a new one in about two weeks because of the demand"

"So, they will stay here for a while. That's good!", he smiled broadly and followed her in. But he didn't notice the confusion on her eyes. She wanted to stay in Tokyo, but her sister already told her she would probably be traveling to America with them because of the danger…

.

* * *

.

" _Maybe they quit…"_ , Anna thought looking to the stars up in the sky, she was lying on the grass in the backyard. It was a beautiful silent night, only the crickets singing around. It had been some peaceful weeks without worries more than school, Yoh's laziness and her sister's issues, not a single enemy around since that night two weeks ago.

She looked to her left to see if Yoh was still up, he smiled at her and then got back to the stars. Their relationship was kind of weird now because she couldn't read his thoughts easily, so she could not know for sure what was on his mind and made her feel less confident than usual. He stretched and stood up, smiled at her and invited her inside because it was getting cold. Anna just nodded and took his hand to stand as well.

"Are they arriving late?", he asked as they walked inside.

"Yes, they have an after party with the event's producer and the record company. It's not optional if they want more contracts"

"Where are they heading after finishing their tour in Japan?", he asked looking away as they crossed the door.

"Back to America…", she answered knowing the why of his question.

He stopped her by taking her hand and gave her a sadly look.

"Are you leaving with them?"

She looked away sadly.

"I don't know yet… I don't even know when they are supposed to leave."

Yoh bit his lip and tried to smile as always but it didn't work. He was no one to be on her way to finally have a life with her family, but still he wanted so bad to ask her to stay with him.

.

* * *

.

"We are staying for two months from now on". Alex said in the worse mood Anna had seen in her. "We will work on a music video here, that should be over in a month, but we have to put an end to the clan's issue before leaving"

"I guess you don't want to stay…" Anna looked at her curious. Alex was a little bit moody in her opinion, but moody or not her behavior was strange this morning.

"That's not what is pissing me of", she said frowning to her beer. "It's just that stupid dancer who will be dancing in the video"

"Stupid dancer?". Anna raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you just look for another dancer?"

"That's 'cause Eri is our dancer at videos and that guy will be her partner, they are an awesome dance couple but that idiot flirts with her every single second!", Alex drank almost the half beer bottle after saying that.

"Oh. So, you are just jealous" Anna shrugged and took her school bag, "You shouldn't"

"I'm not jealous!"

"Of course you are. Look at you, drinking a beer at 7:30 a.m. because a guy will be performing a hot dance with your girl"

"She is not my girl!" Alex frowned at Anna, then thought about her words. "Did you say a "hot dance"?", she looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"I read your song, it's a passionate love song, so I guess it will be a passionate dance", Anna turned and smiled mischievously as she walked to the door, "See ya!"

"EEEEEEERIIIIIIIIIIII!"

She heard her sister's furious yell when she closed the door. It had been a little mean to do that, but it was the only way for Alex to think over her feelings.

Anna walked to the bus stop thinking about her situation now. The last year had been just crazy, and the events that occurred two weeks ago were insane, she was wondering how long this peace would last and if Yoh would be safe. She was worried about him; those people were dangerous and she didn't like to think than he was in this whole situation all because of her… but she never thought her family's history would be this dark and bloody and creepy with all this shit about assassins and vampires and demons and… her head started to ache, for the first time she got a headache because of her own thoughts not others thoughts. Ironically that self-induced headache made her happy, since Yoh arrived at her life she hadn't had one of those horrible headaches nor seen an oni again.

"Hey! Could you tell me what time is it?". A girl who was about her age asked politely when she arrived at the bus stop.

Anna looked at her wristwatch. "It's 7:45"

"Do you think the bus is arriving soon?"

"It should be here in the next 5 minutes"

"So, we are alone for the next 5 minutes", the black-haired girl smiled at her suspiciously.

Anna looked around to confirm there were just the two of them and an old lady who was walking slowly to the bus station.

"I'm the third kid. You have met my older brothers" the strange girl whispered next to her. Anna tried to reach her rosary, but the girl made an oversoul with a gun shape and pointed to the old lady, "If you move, she will be gone. Just listen"

"What do you want", Anna asked roughly.

"Don't take me wrong. I don't give a shit for my old man, I can help you to take rid of him"

"Yeah. And I'm supposed to believe in you since you are pointing an old lady with a gun", her voice was sarcastic.

"I'm serious. I want to be free before the familiar's contract, I don't want to do that pact"

"Familiar's contract? Like the witches?"

"Something like that, but a little bit different. Anyway, it doesn't matter, it's just what your sister did with that vampire Aldara. I don't want to be bonded with a vampire for the rest of my life or live an eternity"

"My mother didn't live an eternity and she used to be bonded with Aldara…"

"Your mother freed her before..." The girl shook her head and looked at her pissed, "Stop that! I just came to offer you a deal"

"Deal? What kind of deal?"

"I'll be attacking that blond dwarf tonight at midnight, just be there and kidnap me. I'll tell you all you want to know"

The bus arrived, both got on the bus, but Anna couldn't see the girl anymore. She started wondering which was the better action course: " _Should I warn Manta? He will be scared as hell, maybe a should talk with Yoh first… But he will overreact since Manta is his first friend_ ―Anna sighed and looked up― _. It would be better to talk with Alex… ... … Eri, she is more reasonable and has total control over Alex, I'll tell Eri first."_ With the decision made, she called a spirit to inform the chosen one about the situation.

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! It's been a while since the last update, but it's finally done. Thanks to all the readers still following the story. Special thanks for your comments and support to sasou, AnnaAsakura12, S.D.P (Kagami, thanks again, your reviews make me happy, hugs back! :D), and rozan-ji (well, Alex is a little bit special xd Yeah, they will do something soon ;).)

To all my ghost readers don't be shy and let me know what you think xd

Thanks again and have a good day/night!


	12. Chapter 12

**Master and guardians**

 **.**

" _Is she ok? Am I dreaming? What happened to her?!"_ those were Eri's confused thoughts as she looked to the sleepy Alex next to her. About 15 minutes ago she broke into her room yelling at her furious, saying something about the dance she hasn't even thought about because she just saw Takeshi last night and they were catching up instead of talking about work, he was an old friend and they haven't seen each other in about six months. So, she got mad because Alex had awaken her without reason and then both started arguing, seconds later Alex stood in the middle of the room thoughtfully, Eri was about to kick her out with a flamethrower when Alex apologized and hugged her… after that she asked if she could stay there to sleep and now Eri's mind was a tangle of thoughts.

"Miss Eri, I have a message for you from miss Anna", a ghost appeared getting her off her thoughts, "A strange girl said she was the third kid and she will be attacking Manta this night but she wants a deal with you. She will tell you anything you want to know if you help her to be free"

"A strange…", Eri startled when she realized who was that girl, sat on the bed and looked Alex by the corner of her eye, she sighed in relief when she noticed Alex was fast asleep. Anna did well telling her and not the one lying next to her. "Tell Anna I have to talk with her. I will pick her up at the bus stop in front of "Black's Coffee""

The spirit bowed respectfully and disappeared as Eri got up to get dressed. She rapidly put on her black jeans and red blouse, walked to the door and paralyzed when Alex called her.

"Where are you going?", she mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Anna forgot a book she has to return to library. I'll catch her at a nearby bus stop to give it to her", she said calmly.

"Oh. Don't worry", Alex yawned and stretched sleepy, "I'll go", she was about to get up when Eri pushed her back roughly.

"STAY THERE!", she ordered sharply.

Alex gave her a puzzled look from the bed. It was just deliver her little sister's missing book, it wasn't a big deal and it was her responsability not Eri's.

"You just drank a beer, you can't drive", Eri turned and walked away. "I'll be back soon, stay there and sleep", left the room and closed the door. She sighed and leaned on the closed door a second, then rushed to get her motorcycle and catch Anna at the bus stop. It took her like five minutes to got there, she saw Anna at the stop and throw her a full head motorcycle helmet. Anna put on the helmet and sat on the back, Eri sped up at the instant and Anna had to hug her thigh to not fall.

"Why the rush?!", Anna yelled to be heard.

"You won't miss school because of this! We will talk before your first class!"

Anna had never been so early at school… and it had never taken her just 5 minutes to arrive. Well, bus drivers usually don't skip all the red lights, don't zig-zag between the cars and don't drive at 120 km/h… _If she is the most responsible what's left for the others…_ , she thought at the time she got off the motorcycle. The most surprising fact was than police didn't pursue them… Eri stayed sitting there and took of her helmet, then received Anna's and looked at her suspiciously.

"Ok. First of all, do you have something to do with your sister breaking into my room?"

"I could have said something", she answered acting normal, "So, if you came here by yourself I assume the bus stop's girl is a big deal."

"You could have say something…", murmured Eri, raised an eyebrow and then looked away blushing. "Well, I should thank you for that…", she coughed and looked at Anna serious then. "Anyway, we will help your friend without your sister's help"

"Why?", Anna blinked confused. She was sure Eri trusted Alex a 100%.

"Because Alex can't stand to see that girl's guardian spirit and she could kill her without giving us the chance to get information"

"… Is she always that violent when she is upset?"

"She wasn't like that…", Eri sighed and bend forward to lean in the cycle's maneuver and look to nothing with dreamy eyes. "She was just like the smiling person you see every day, sometimes a little bit childish and stupid, but a charming, occurrent, funny and caring girl. When someone menaced with hurting her beloved ones she was just brave, made you feel safe, she didn't have that grim expression you had seen…"

"Why did she change?", Anna looked at her with curiosity then thought over the question. "When did she change?"

"She hasn't told you how we meet, right?"

"No… But you thought about it time ago… You met on the Academy of Arts you were studying, about 5 years ago"

"Then you know what kind of relationship we had and why I dumped her by then…"

"You were engaged… it was an arranged marriage with a dangerous man, that's why"

"Didn't you see who was that man?"

Anna thought about it for a second and shook her head, Eri never thought about that man and now she couldn't read all her thoughts.

"Well, that man was your cousin... The guy who attacked you first"

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"No, I'm not. I was your uncle's apprentice and my abilities pleased him so he arranged it… I couldn't say no because I had no place to go and was afraid they would kill me if I tried to escape…"

"So, you joined Alex's group…"

"It wasn't so easy", Eri laughed softly. "I wasn't interested in my fiancé 'cause… well, you know", she shrugged. "When I met her I knew I could never be happy if I came back, but I was worried about her safety and I didn't know about their blood relation by then. So, I told her I just toyed with her the whole time, then it was just a game for me and then I loved my fiancé. I wanted to be sure she wouldn't follow me"

"Are you aware than is your fault she is a womanizer?", Anna looked at her with narrowed eyes and pissed, "There are a lot of ways to dump someone and you choose to break her heart and burn the pieces!"

Eri blinked and looked at her astonished, then she smiled tenderly to her.

"You are so cute for caring about her", she chuckled when Anna looked away blushing and frowning, "Anyway, I didn't know she was so strong by then. It was a surprise when she leaded the clan's revolution, I was supposed to stop her, but…"

"But you couldn't harm her and you joined her cause", Anna raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms giving Eri a suspicious look, "You know them very well then"

"Not enough… My master said I would know the deepest secrets once I became part of the family and I never talked with my fiancé but I used to train with Terra, she is the girl of the bus stop", Eri sighed praying for Anna's calm after she listened the next words, "She uses a gun and an armor shaped oversoul, she has two guardian spirits… one of them is your father"

Anna shook her head with closed eyes, then looked at Eri without giving credit to her ears.

"What?"

"Just what you heard… Alex's wounds were closed before that fight three years ago, but when she saw her own father like a single tool her hate against them started gnawing her and now she just can't contain herself when she is in front of that people…"

"Hey! Anna!"

Eri turned her head and looked back, Yoh and Manta were waving and walking to them, then looked at Anna… she was still in shock. She stood and patted the blonde's face to bring her back to reality as her friends walked closer.

"Eri? Why are you here?! If the students see you it will be troublesome!", Manta looked around nervously.

"That will happen just if you keep screaming and calling everyone's attention here", Eri stated glaring at him, Manta shivered and muttered an _I'm sorry_ , "Manta, we will be hiding in your backyard at midnight. Someone will break in your place and we will take that person before someone gets hurt"

"WHAT?!"

Eri ignored him and looked attentively to Anna. She seemed to be ok, but she was still surprised.

"Do you want to go home?", she asked with a concerned voice.

Anna denied with her head and walked away, heading to her classroom. Yoh was about to follow her when Eri grasped his wrist.

"Don't push her. She is still processing something important, give her some space today", she released his wrist and mounted her motorcycle waving her hand as goodbye.

"WHAT?! YOU CAN'T GO WITHOUT TELLING ME ABOUT THAT PERSON!", Manta protested. But, of course, Eri was gone leaving just dust behind.

"Don't worry Manta, she said we will protect you. It's ok"

Manta looked up to see his best friend's relaxed smile. The blond guy sighed in resignation and walked in with a black aura around his body, followed by Yoh. He would ask Anna about that before the first class, maybe she could give him more directions than that black-haired insensitive harpy. _How could she leave like that?! I'm an average high school student! She should be acting like an adult and calm me down before leaving!_

"Don't be mad with her. She cares about you too, if not she wouldn't tell you about this", Yoh said next to him. They were standing outside Manta's classroom. Yoh's eyes crossed the room to meet Anna's like every morning, but she wasn't looking to the door, she was lost in her thoughts looking through the window. "Manta… I know it's hard, but please leave her alone for a while"

Manta glared at him, but then his friend pointed to Anna and he knew there was something wrong, he just sighed and nodded with resignation under Yoh's thankfully smile.

The teacher arrived a few minutes after. The class was the same as always except for Anna not paying attention at all. Manta glanced at her when the teacher called her for the third time and then sent her out because of Anna's lack of attention, she bowed and apologized, then left the classroom silently.

 _What happened to her?_ _Maybe it has something to do with those guys going to my place today,_ thought Manta. He shivered with the thought of someone strong enough to scare Anna.

He left the classroom when the class was over, Yoh was waiting outside but there were no signals of Anna.

"Maybe she is at the library", Manta suggested.

They both went to the library, but she wasn't there. Then looked for her at the roof, cafeteria, study rooms and the tree where they used to have lunch, but she wasn't around. They returned to the classroom and she wasn't there as well.

"Manta, stay here. I'll look for her", Yoh didn't give his friend time to respond, he was already running. _Maybe they appeared sooner than expected, maybe the Manta's stuff was just a trap…_

"Hey! Are you Yoh?"

He stopped when a student's ghost who was trapped in the school called him, this was the first time she talked to him.

"Yeah. You seem to be him", she said with a polite smile. "Anna asked me to give you a message: I'm feeling bad so I'm going home"

"She left… Are you serious?", he asked looking at her suspiciously. Anna would never leave school unless she was almost dying.

"Yes… But, I don't think she was going home", the ghost said concerned. "She didn't take the usual bus and seemed to be upset… Could you check on her? She helped me time ago and…"

"Which bus did she took?"

The ghost smiled and gave him the directions. Yoh rushed to the bus stop and asked Amidamaru to look for Anna in the previous bus. He found her, she was arriving to a female school. _Why? Does she wants to transfer there?_ , thought Yoh. About a half hour later he arrived at the school, but he didn't dare to walk in because he was a boy and of course he wasn't allowed in.

"Amida, please look for her inside", he asked to his guardian spirit. "I'll wait here"

The spirit nodded and started his search. It didn't take him long to find the blonde, she was arguing with another girl… well, menacing another girl was more appropriate than arguing… He floated closer to hear them.

"Fine, let's go now", Terra said in a bad mood. "I don't care as long as your sis doesn't kill me"

"If she kills you or not it's up to you. Choose your words wisely", Anna said walking away and calling a spirit. "Tell Eri I'm going home with Terra and to keep Alex under control"

The other girl sighed and followed her. Amidaru returned to his master and both waited for the girls outside, a few minutes later Anna was looking at him surprised, he wasn't supposed to be there.

"I was worried and I thought you could use a bodyguard by now", he said with a grin. She smiled back to him, of course she couldn't help to love him if he acted like this.

* * *

"Why is she here?", Alex's grim expression and assassin instinct made everyone gulp. They were sure than if it wasn't because of Eri grasping her arm, Anna standing between Alex and the girl, and Yoh next to them, all of it would have ended at the instant they crossed the door.

"She wants to put an end to this", Anna said.

"I never asked for my guardian. I never asked being his daughter. I don't want to receive this new guardian", Terra stated firmly, yet trembling in fear. "I will release him and tell you what happened to your mother if you help me…"

"My mother died, that's what happened", Alex cold answer made everyone shiver slightly.

"No… she…", the girl looked at Eri and hugged Anna by the waist to be sure Alex would not kill her with the next information. "Well, she died… But you know she had just released Aldara when that happened…"

"So what?"

"You know than the only way to actually freed them is when the master or the servant die, right? Well, she broke the contract but they were still bounded one way or another and the recovery skills of Aldara were still working on her when she died… Actually, she didn't die completely… My dad turned her…"

"Turned her?", Anna asked, looking at Terra confused. Then felt her sister's power raising dangerously, took the girl and Yoh and rushed outside leaning against the wall without needing more advice. The next seconds were Alex's furious yell, a sound similar to an explosion, windows breaking and the front door flying far far away.

"What the hell…", muttered Yoh next to Anna.

"I'm dead…", muttered Terra. She was sobbing next to them still grasping Anna's hand.

"You are not…", Anna said poking out through the hole left by the door. Alex was standing there, head down, clenched fists and crying silently. She wanted to go there and say something, but didn't know what to say… She didn't even remember her mother so she couldn't understand her feelings after all. She saw Eri taking Alex by the shoulders and guiding her upstairs silently. _I guess she needs some time…_

"Guys, come inside. It should be safe by now", Xana said walking to the living room. "We have to do some plans for tonight"

Yoh, Anna and Terra followed him, the other members of the band were already there.

"Well, this will break Alex for a while so we will have to protect your friend without her and maybe put an end to this tonight", Rain said. She was unusually serious. "So, Terra, how many and how strong?"

"Ah, well there―"

"I suppose it's not necessary to say than if you lie you will die today, and it won't be an easy, fast or pleasant death", interrupted Rain. "Is that clear?"

Terra gulped and nodded. She knew what their leader was capable of and she got no intentions of betray them… her father was worse.

Anna looked to the girl by the corner of her eyes at the time Terra gave them the details. She was clearly playing with her life, maybe she wouldn't have a place to go after all of this. Why was she risking this much? Was it so bad to be part of that clan?

"So, this was just a trap to eliminate them…", concluded Yoh.

"Yes, he knows Alexandra is unstable around me..."

"Unstable and an easy target in that state", Anna said, then looked at Rain. "Am I right?"

"Yep. That's true", Rain, Reiner and Xana nodded. "She can't be there. No way"

"But, you can't deal with them without her!", Terra cried out alarmed and standing up.

"Maybe, and Eri should stay here to keep an eye on her…", said Reiner thoughtfully. "Hey, Yoh. Your friends could be pretty useful, we will compensate them if they help"

"Sure! They will love some action!", Yoh stood up and smiled as usual. "I'll go to the inn and explain them. Manta is a good friend of all of them"

"I'll go with you. It's my fault you are involved", Anna said standing up.

Both left the house in silence. Yoh looked at her with concern, she never met her mother, but maybe she was sad and angry just like Alex…

"I don't know if I'm sad or angry… I don't recognize this feeling…"

"It must be weird…"

"It is…"

"But, you know… If she is like Aldara now, you will have the chance to meet her and maybe live together after", he said optimistically and smiling. "Your mom could live you after all. And you can ask her about her ability controlling demons too"

"That's what is weird, Yoh", Anna stopped and stared at him. "She is supposed to be dead!"

"But, she is alive. That can't be bad, you will have time with her and that's cool!"

"She is a non-dead who feeds herself with human blood or demons! Don't you understand why Aldara is so balanced?", she looked at him incredulous. How can it be good?!

Yoh tilted his head to a side, he didn't know why.

"Al feeds up with Alex's blood, the pact they have makes her need less blood than a normal vampire and she also feeds herself with other eccentricities or demons", Anna lowered her sight then and continued with a sad voice: "If she doesn't have a master… she could be thirsty and uncontrollable… maybe she already became a non-consciousness monster if they have been waiting this long to give her a master…"

Yoh kept silent, he didn't know about that kind of guardians and now it was clear for him what was Anna feeling: she was in pain and scared just like her older sister. She never met her mother before and now she could see her for the first and last time and remember her like a single demon, it wasn't a nice picture.

Anna resumed the path and Yoh followed her in silence, he had no words to make her feel better and this time his "everything will turn ok in the end" felt out of place.

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! It's been a while since the last update, but it's finally done. Thanks to all the ones still reading. Special thanks for your comments and support to sasou, AnnaAsakura12, Kagami, and rozan-ji.

To all my ghost readers don't be shy and let me know what you think xd

Thanks again and have a good day/night!


	13. Chapter 13

**About fights and meetings**

 **.**

"So, we have to get rid of the humans and you are in charge of demons", said Ren.

They were hiding in Manta's backyard, that was actually a forest surrounding Oyamada's property, waiting for the men Terra warned them.

"Right. Maybe it will be a little different of what Terra said, they should know she is with us by now", Xana said.

"Anna, please be our radar from now on. They must be near, we can't be surprised if we want success", Rain asked her.

The blonde nodded and called a huge amount of spirits to look around.

"Where is her sister and the fire-breathing girl?", Horo asked to Yoh.

"Well… Alex is not feeling ok right now and Eri is taking care of her", he answered smiling nervously, Horo was really lucky Eri didn't hear him calling her "fire-breathing girl"… even if it was literally true.

"They are here", Anna announced getting out of trance. "That guy is waiting for us to show up"

"Ok. Let's say hi!", Reiner smiled and walked out of the bushes to reach the center of the backyard. He was attacked instantly by shot on his forehead. The shamans got shocked when they saw him hitting the ground… dead. They were about to run there, but were stopped by a smiling Rain.

"How can you―?!", Ren interrupted himself when he saw a seriously injured man with a black hood being throwed next to Reiner, then another Reiner appeared next to the dead one and helped him to get up… "What the hell?!"

"The one down was Hans, real Reiner was hiding somewhere else", explained Anna, looking at the scene with narrowed eyes, no matter if her relatives were used to those tricks, she didn't like those strategies because it was still hard to determine who was really injured.

"Don't let your guard down", Terra ordered. Getting out of their hideout. "That was just the first shooter, now the others will appear"

They followed her with their last oversoul shape. Just a second after going out they were attacked by a horde of black demons. All around turned black, they got trapped into a whirlpool of black onis with claws and fangs all around the place, trying to tear their bodies without rest.

"This is so annoying", Ren said and jumped, pointed his oversoul down. " _Shishen Tōgen Kyō"._ An enormous number of weapons emerged from the ground, spiking all the onis around.

"What the hell are you doing?! We are here!", Horo yelled at him.

"Nice, Chinese boy!", cheered up Rain. "We are done with those".

"Your cousin is nuts…", murmured Horo next to Anna, who was almost spiked by Ren's attack too.

"… all my relatives are…", she said, breathing again when Ren's weapons disappeared.

"Are you ok?", Yoh asked her, with concerned eyes.

She didn't answer because got distracted by some other hooded men being piled in front of them. Reiner and Hans appeared after leaving the men there.

"I'm confused…", Ryu said. Pointed to the men and looked curiously to Yoh. "We were supposed to get rid of them and they were supposed to get rid of demons"

"Just details, don't get distracted. We are done with minions, it's final boss time", Reiner said, closing his eyes, perceiving the moves around. He suddenly opened his eyes and shot a lightning volt to his left. "There!"

They heard a groan and then a laughter. A man on his 30s appeared in front of them, white hair, blue bright eyes and pale skin. He dressed in a black shirt and black pants than were smoking, probably because of Reiner's attack.

"So, you learned how to track", the man said with an arrogant smile. "That's cool, it will be more fun. But, it's also a little sad", he pretended a sad face. "You, little Hans, against your brother. That's so sad", he stopped pretending and a sickle-shaped oversoul appeared in his left hand.

Anna reacted in time and created a barrier, protecting all of them of the clean cut he did at the distance. She had faced him before, and this time she was more used to fast attacks because of the group training they had almost daily.

"Ok! Don't hold back and just attack him. He can't die so just give him all you have!", Terra cried out.

"Got it!", they all said in unison.

* * *

"I brought you a…", Eri shut herself when she entered Alex's room and didn't see her around. "… Alex?", she walked in starting to feel stressed. _You have to be kidding me!_ "Alex?!". No answer… "C'mon! It's not funny! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!", she freaked out and ran outside to look for her. _This is bad, this is really bad… And she is a fucking wall! I can't even track her!_ she thought frustrated. "AAAAAAAAALEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEX!"

"What?"

The black-haired girl turned and saw Alex walking out of the sauna room with a white robe, Eri put a hand in her chest and exhaled in relief, feeling her soul back again in her body.

"What's wrong?", asked Alex with a puzzled look. She received a slap in answer. "Why?!", she protested touching her swollen cheek.

"You made me freak out!", roared Eri and walked away.

"?", Alex just walked confused to the living room. She knew Eri was worried about her scaping to kill that guy, but she had no energy for that after knowing what happened to her mother and Eri should know that… _But she also knows I'm worried for them and she is worried as well…_ She stopped after that thought and ran to reach her, she caught her at the library. "Let's go there!"

"I knew it!", Eri pointed at her with white furious eyes. "You just were distracting me!"

"What?", Alex raised an eyebrow. "No! I promise I won't fight, I just want to be there in case your fiancé is hiding. You know we can't trust them!"

"He is not my fiancé! There is a reason 'cause I live with you and not with them!", Eri frowned at her and crossed her arms under her chest. "Are you serious? Do you really promise you won't attack unless there is real danger?"

Alex raised her right hand solemnly. "I promise". Eri sighed and nodded. Alex smiled broadly and ran to her room to get dressed, then ran downstairs and took her colleague in her arms.

"What the hell are you doing?!", she asked alarmed and red.

"It's faster if I just jump to a near place", said Alex, smiling broadly as she crossed the door leading to the back yard.

"So, you are really close", a male voice said at the time they got out of the house. Both of them recognized that voice, that was unexpected yet fortunate, it was him by himself and the guys were facing the other brother in group, there was no need of worries. "I can't believe you left us because of her", he said with a voice of displeasure as he landed in the center of the back yard.

Alex smiled arrogantly and let Eri in the ground. "Maybe I gave her something you couldn't even if you tried"

He took of his hood with a pissed look. She was as annoying and childish as that day three years ago.

* * *

"Barrier!", ordered Rain. Anna obeyed her to avoid the earth-control technique that turned ground in a damp. "Nice job! Keep it there!"

The scenario wasn't nice right now, they got confident because they thought it would be 9 vs 1, but it was actually 9 vs an undefined number. Anna had counted at least 10 enemies around, and the white-haired guy was pretty hard to beat. Yoh, and Ren were having trouble with him even when they were supported by Horo (who was freezing his moves to make him slower) and Terra (who was acting like a sniper and helping to immobilize him using the same ground technique than her brother).

The itako was in charge of supporting all of them with barriers, spells and exorcising onis, but it was getting difficult because the increasing amount of demons and enemies around. She was attentive to all the people in "her team" and the "other team" at the same time, trying to find a way to finish this faster. _He is not leading…_ she thought when she noticed he was fighting by himself and the other hooded men were performing an organized attack, they were like an army and they had a "general" for sure.

"Find the one giving the orders", she said to one of the spirits she was using to watch over the "battlefield"… they were lucky Manta's family had a forest as back yard…

She saw Yoh almost being cut by the sickle, he bent down and attacked from there with a high cut of his sword, but the man disappeared and attacked him from behind, luckily Amidamaru was an excellent guardian and he could protect him as well. Ren attacked with a high speed attack, but the man was faster and could block every single hit. Horo took advantage of his friend's moves and managed to freeze the enemy's foot, that's when Yoh and Ren had the opportunity to perform a clean cut over the man's chest and, at the same time, Terra shot him in the forehead.

"Isn't that too much…?", Horo said. Looking terrified to the man lying in the ground.

"No, it will just give us some time to immobilize him before he recovers", responded Terra, giving Anna the signal to seal him and avoid more troubles. The blonde did as planned, but the attack didn't stop.

"Who is the one giving the orders?", she asked to Terra. "Hans and Rain are looking for him while Reiner and Xana are resisting the raid"

"It must be Heinz, he is my brother's guardian", she said serious. "The best we can do is help Reiner and Xana", looked at Anna and added: "But you should help Rain and Hans. They will need help to track him"

They split apart without more words. Anna didn't have to track him for long because, apparently, he was expecting the chance to attack her. She barely avoided his claws, that almost cut her throat appearing from a sudden in front of her.

"Nice reflexes. It must be genetical, your mother is incredibly fast", he pointed out with the same big smile she had seen in Hans. This guy was exactly like him, but his eyes were bloody red. "Maybe I should turn you instead of killing you. What do you say? Wanna see mommy?", he said with a mocking smile.

Anna clenched her fists and bit her lips, feeling her heart starting to pump in rage at the time that man started to laugh out loud. She didn't even give him the chance to move, the beads of her rosary appeared around him in a second and sealed his moves.

"How…?", his mocking expression changed to a surprised and mad one when he realized he had underestimated the girl. _I'm an idiot, she is her kid after all…_

"You are not a big deal", Anna said with a grim expression, making the beads shine bright and limit even more the moves of her enemy. He groaned in pain, but she didn't stop, just the sight of that demon and the previous mock made her want to kill him. She put more power in her technique, without caring about Heinz's screams, she just wanted him suffer. She felt a hand in her shoulder than made her conscious of the situation, Hans jumped to bite his brother and used his energy drain to absorb him. Anna took her head surprised of her own behaviour and looked to the owner of the hand in her shoulder, Rain smiled compressively to her.

"I guess now you understand why we didn't bring Alex here", she said with a soft voice.

Anna just nodded and looked down, she didn't have the chance to meet her mother and this guy made her that mad, it was obviously a thousand times more irritating and painful to Alex.

They went back home, taking Terra's brother as hostage. They all got surprised by the other brother and Alex seriously injured in the living room.

"What happened?!", Anna asked, walking to her sister's side.

"He attacked and we defended ourselves", Eri responded calmly, bandaging Alex's arm.

"I'm glad she kicked your ass again", Terra said in a mocking way to her brother, he looked away being really pissed.

"I'm done", he said frowning. "This is ridiculous, he is using us like toys to eliminate the threats instead of fighting by himself. I quit!"

"So, you are cooperating"

"Yeah. His new hideout is in a Norwegian forest, I'll give you the map and everything. Just let me go and please never show up in my life again", he said in a bad mood. Then looked to his sister. "You release his spirit and let's forget about the old man. We are moving far away of every single relative in the world", he pointed to his older brother with his chin. "Including this bastard if he refuses to leave"

Terra smiled amused and happy for his words, everything went like planned, she knew her brother just needed a little push to leave. She obeyed immediately and released the seal on the mortuary tablet where she that man's spirit was trapped. A blond, athletic middle age man appeared in the room, he looked around like if he was lost.

"Luka, I'm sorry for everything. You can rest now", said Terra bowing respectfully. She raised her head and smiled sadly, then pointed to Alex and Anna. "Some people have been waiting for you"

He stared at Terra, trying to remember who was that girl, then all the memories came at the same time: his wife dying in his arms, that man trapping him, the trainings with that girl and his lack of will, the only thing he could think just seconds ago was to obey her. He looked to the teenager and the young woman Terra was pointing…

"Aura?", he asked frowning and confused.

Alex smiled sadly and shook her head, of course, he wasn't conscious about how many years have passed. "It's Alex, dad", she said, put a hand on Anna's head. "And this is Annie. It's been a long time"

He looked at them shocked, took his head and shook it slowly, he tried to speak but the words didn't come out. He floated to the blonde teen who was looking at him with a blank face, but her eyes were expressing so much: she was speechless too, she didn't know what to say or how to act in front of him. His spectral fingers tried to caress her face, but, of course, he was a ghost now… He smiled and some tears appeared on his eyes… "You are so beautiful, my little girl", he finally said. Looked Alex and smiled tenderly to her, "You look just like her, my precious big girl". He wanted to hug his daughters and show them how much love he had for both, but it was impossible to do so now…

"We are all shamans here", Yoh said with a grin on his face when he noticed the anxiety on his father-in-law's face. "You can use any of us"

The man looked at him surprised, then with narrowed eyes. "What's your relationship with my little girl?", he asked mistrustfully.

Yoh tensed and smiled nervously, he scratched his head thinking this could not be the appropriate moment to let him know about his relationship with Anna.

"You can use me", Eri said to avoid the tension and save the moment… maybe Yoh's physical health too. She stood and let the man's spirit use her body to hug tight both girls. But the spirit didn't leave her body after that, instead faced Yoh with narrowed eyes. "So, who are you and what's your relationship with my daughter?", the spirit asked through Eri's body.

Yoh started sweating, Anna's father hearing his answer while he was using Eri's body wasn't the safest option for him…

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! This was a short chapter, but I hope it was good enough and not to bore you... Thanks to all the ones still reading. Special thanks for your comments and support to Kagami.

Thanks again and have a good day/night! :D


	14. Chapter 14

**Reishi**

 **.**

"What happened to you?!", Manta screamed alarmed when he saw Yoh arriving at school. He had some bandages and bruises in his face. "Was it that hard?!"

"Take it easy Manta", Yoh grinned as usual, but his smile didn't last long because it was painful to do so. "It wasn't so hard… I just met Anna's dad yesterday"

"Ah?", Manta looked at him puzzled. "But he is dead, how could he do that to you?"

Yoh sighed and explained why that man took possession of Eri's body and how he used her to beat him. "He is not a friendly person…", he whined with waterfalls in his eyes.

"You were the one who told him you have touched me", Anna said appearing at the school gate and passing by their side. She was still angry with him for causing such misunderstanding the day she just met her father, who had a bad/worried idea about her now.

"Are you insane?!", Manta yelled, incredulous, to his friend. "You NEVER **EVER** say that kind of stuff to a girlfriend's dad! Not even if you marry her! That's basic, Yoh!"

"I just meant I touched her heart, like when you are touched by someone's words", protested Yoh and frowned to his friend. "He is the one with dirty thoughts!"

Manta blinked and then laughed out loud. He resumed the path to his classroom under Yoh's pissed look and complaints for his lack of support.

"Yoh, you have to think carefully before you open your mouth or you won't live to marry her", Manta said in the middle of his laugh.

"It's not my fault he had misunderstood that!", Yoh defended himself. They were at the door of Manta and Anna's classroom now. The shaman shivered when he perceived Anna's glare after his comment, the blonde stood up and reached their side in record time. He frowned at her, she couldn't be mad for that! "That's true, it's not my fault he and your sister have a dirty mind!"

Anna frowned and a twitch appeared in her left eye. She crossed her arms to contain the impulse of slap him, just because there were too many people looking at them and she didn't want to be send to detention.

"I'm sorry my friend, but I guess I'm on Anna's team this time", said Manta with narrowed eyes. "You can't be so innocent"

"Yoh", Anna said with an angry voice. "You told him how we met, then you said you could _touch me_ even if it was hard at first, but I opened just in a few months"

Manta performed a face palm after hearing Anna, Yoh needed a "How to deal with your girlfriend's relatives" manual, urgently. Yoh was about to say something, but the teacher arrived, so his friend and girlfriend entered the classroom leaving him in the hallway, he walked to his own classroom in a bad mood. _It's not my fault he didn't take the time to hear it all. He didn't even ask Anna about her feelings, he just overreacted and beat me!_

By the lunch time he was less mad, so he looked for them, but he found Manta by himself.

"Where is Anna?"

"She doesn't want to be around you yet. She said she is avoiding giving you a slap"

Yoh sighed, maybe he could use a little help with his in-laws if he wanted to be with her after all… But he didn't have someone to ask, his father could be his only source of information and he was never around...

"You should talk with him and make clear what did you mean", Manta suggested and smiled to him. "I'm sure he will accept you when he realizes you really care about his daughter"

The shaman cheered up with Manta's words, maybe Anna's dad would be just like Alex. She accepted him completely after realizing he loved Anna.

* * *

"He is a good boy", Alex tried to soften her father. She knew from her own experience than Yoh could be a little clumsy and naive with his words when he talked about his relationship with Anna.

"From my point of view, he just tried to take advantage of a lonely girl", he said in a bad mood. "Why is she dating him anyway?"

"Because he saved her from her suffering", Alex said with that tone used to denote that something was obvious. "C'mon! I know it's hard to see your baby turned into a 16-year-old beauty from a sudden, but she has the right to fall in love. Give him a chance"

He just snorted and looked away with crossed arms. Alex smiled at him, he was so stubborn.

"I'm home!"

Both of them heard Anna from their position at the living room.

"Welcome back!", said Alex. "Are you by yourself?"

Anna appeared there after a few seconds, with Yoh by her side. Her father's glare almost killed Yoh, he just smiled and laughed nervously.

"Alex, Eri says she needs an opinion", Anna said with closed eyes at the time she took Alex by the wrist and started walking out of the room.

"Opinion?", mumbled Alex being dragged out.

"Just walk!"

Father and boyfriend heard that last comment and Alex's questions going away in the hallway. Both looked at each other trying to read the other one minds. The father crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, waiting for whatever that boy had to say. Yoh couldn't help but to think those gestures were identical to Anna's… well, Anna's gestures were identical to his, actually.

"Aaam. Well, I have to clarify yesterday's misunderstanding…", Yoh scratched his head with one hand, he didn't know what to say exactly, but he passed the last period thinking about what he did **not** have to say to be sure of not making the man angry again.

"I'm waiting…"

"Right… aaam… I just meant I reached, _touched_ , her heart, we have never… Well, we have never been THAT close, if you know what I mean…", nervously explained Yoh.

"Ok. So, what do you want with her?", he asked still looking at him with distrust.

"I want to marry her", he said firmly and without doubts.

The man jaw fell down in surprise, he was ready to hear whatever that boy had to say, but that answer never crossed his mind. What kind of 16-year-old teen is thinking about marriage?! "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Nope, I'm serious", Yoh stayed firm in his position.

"Are you asking for my daughter's hand?!", he asked absolutely incredulous.

"Well, I haven't proposed, so I can't ask yet", answered Yoh, looking to the ceiling thoughtfully, then grinned. "But, I will ask her eventually"

The man blinked extremely surprised, most of the guys about his age would just think about getting into the girl's bed and, of course, the word "marriage" wasn't part of the equation. He himself was a bastard back on his teenage… and adulthood, actually, until he met his wife.

"Are you serious?", he asked again, raising an eyebrow. Then sighed and floated next to him. "Hey, kid. You don't have to pretend, just tell me the truth"

"That's the truth", Yoh blinked confused. Why would he lie about it?

"So…", he continued thoughtfully and surprised: "You are sixteen and you want to marry my daughter despite all the other girls you could have being so young"

Yoh nodded repeatedly. "Yep"

"You are a case for sure…", mumbled the man, still incredulous. He passed a hand over his head and sighed, Alex was right: he was a good boy. "What about her problems? If you marry her you are marrying her problems too"

"I know", Yoh smiled broadly as usual. "I'll solve them with her"

The man closed his eyes and smiled as well, looked to ceiling and then laughed. This guy was the dreamed son-in-law.

* * *

"He can't take possession of Yoh's body and make him kill himself, right?" Alex, Aldara and Eri laughed out loud with Anna's comment. She looked at them pissed and blushing. "I'M SERIOUS!"

"Hahaha. C'mon! Not even Yoh can screw it up that bad", Eri said rolling the dice. They were playing a board game.

"I'm not so sure. Alex almost killed him too some weeks ago", Aldara commented.

"He needs to think a little bit before opening his mouth", pointed out Alex.

"You were spying them", replied Al.

"I wasn't!" exasperatedly said Alex, looked at Al with narrowed eyes. "It's just past 6. Why are you awake anyway?"

"I had a nightmare and now I can't sleep", she rolled the dice. "Oh! C'mon! I'm sure you are cheating!"

"Stop crying you, old baby", Alex said with a smirk.

"Excuse me! My boyfriend could be dying downstairs!", Anna said, jumping out of her seat.

"Just get another one", Aldara shrugged as if it did not matter.

"AL!", reprehended Anna.

The three of them laughed out loud with Anna's behavior. The blonde walked out in a bad mood, they were not helping her to calm down at all. She decided to go downstairs and check, just in case. It wasn't need of going further in the hall, she could hear them laughing from there, so they were getting along… Why were they laughing? Her curiosity told her to walk closer and hear it all, but she decided to ignore it and go back to Alex's room, she could ask Yoh later.

He said goodbye after dinner without saying a word about his conversation with her father, she couldn't read his thoughts easily now, so she would have to ask, but didn't want to look anxious for him.

"Ok. See you tomorrow", he kissed her forehead and walked away with his usual big smile. Anna frowned at his back, yeah it was great than he and her father were getting along and were having their own secret conversations, but giving her some details wouldn't kill him!

Yoh walked to station laughing in silence. He knew Anna was almost desperate to know what they have been talking about the whole afternoon. Now he could say his father-in-law was a nice man, despite the initial misunderstanding, they could catch along pretty well.

A week later he was still surprised for Anna's self-control. She was dying to know about his conversations with Luka, mostly because they use to change the subject when she was present and, of course, Anna could notice it. Yoh glanced at her, walking at his side, they were taking a walk in the park.

"Ok. I'm done!", Anna stood in front of him with an ' _I demand an explanation_ ' posture. "It's been a week! What the hell have you been talking about?!"

"Hehehe. It's a men secret", that was all he could say.

"No way! You will give me some answers Asakura Yoh!", she hit his chest with her index finger in a menacing attitude.

"What if I don't want to tell you?", he said with a smirk. "What will you do? I can stand your slaps"

She blinked and looked at him shocked. Her menaces always worked, what happened?! "What's with you and that attitude?!", she asked upset.

"Luka taught me some tricks", he said with a grin, then resumed their path holding her hand. _Yeah, it's great to have him holding my back_ , he thought at the time he remembered his talks with his father-in-law. After confessing his feelings for Anna, they enjoyed a nice one.

"Hahaha. She is as mean as Aura was"

"She was like that too?"

"Yeah, well, she was meaner", he laughed and looked up with nostalgic eyes. "The first time I talked to her she almost killed me with a thunder and said: Stay away, you intend of human being!"

"Did she electrocute you?!", asked Yoh feeling a big respect for this man. He didn't give up even after that.

"Yes, she did. She was walking alone in the woods and I offered her some help, she rejected politely the first time, then I insisted, thinking she was too pretty for being alone there… I guess my guard was down so she heard that in my mind and that's why she attacked", he laughed. "I still remember the blush she had when she did it"

"Hehehe. I guess Anna is just like her then"

"I'm glad she is getting rid of the reishi stuff. Aura used to suffer a lot because of it"

"Al said she lost it after meeting you, how did you do that?"

He smiled broadly and said: "I just loved her with all my heart"

Yoh grinned to Anna again, she turned her face proudly ignoring his try to make her forget the issue. He smiled tenderly then, she could be just that childish when he didn't obey her orders. Maybe a little hint would make her forget.

"He just asked me to love you", he said with a soft voice. "And I told him I already do"

"I doubt that took a week", she looked at him with narrowed eyes.

Yoh laughed, he had been so naive thinking she would be convinced with something like that. But her behavior made it clear: he was doing a good job. Luka had said than her demands and insecurities would emerge as the reishi starts to vanish.

"I don't get why"

"Think about it. She can know ALL you think and do when you remember and, suddenly, she doesn't hear you in her head anymore. She was used to hear my thoughts about her beauty, about how much I loved her, about the life I wanted with her and then there is just silence"

"And she didn't know how to ask or recognize your feelings without your thoughts giving her feedback", Yoh said thoughtfully.

"Exactly. I bet Anna will be the same", he affirmed. "The process is gradual as she starts feeling loved by other people. Sometimes she will hear you, sometimes she will not. It will depend of her emotional status, but someday she won't hear nothing more than her own thoughts"

Yoh came back to present when Anna left his hand and walked faster, leaving him behind. He sighed, Luka told him it wasn't good to try to keep secrets from her in this stage, at least not without making her feel sure about his feelings, and the only way to do that was talking… unfortunately it wasn't Yoh's strongest point.

"Anna! Wait! I'll tell you!", he cried out at her back. She stopped and stared at him waiting with her arms crossed.

"I'm waiting"

"I can't tell you all the things we talked", he said and she started walking again. "Hey! C'mon Anna! Please stop!", he ran and stood in front of her, she gave him a pissed look. "I won't tell you all, but I can tell you the general idea", he explained calmly. "We talked about you and your mother… and reishi"

Anna's pissed face changed to a curious one. She looked at him waiting for the rest of his explanation.

"Aaaam… and, that's the summary", he said nervously.

Anna frowned at him and passed by his side. He stopped her again with a tired sigh.

"It's like Aldara and Alex said, you don't have to do something in special. Just trust us, ok?", he said with a sweet voice and smiled. "You can't hear all my thoughts now, right?"

She blinked in astonishment. "I thought Alex had taught how to hide your thoughts", she said with surprised eyes.

"No, I never asked her", he shrugged still smiling. "You see? It's working", Yoh took her hand again and resumed their path. "We have to go back now, even if we are getting along I don't want him mad at me for taking you late"

She just let him guide her, maybe it wasn't need of knowing it all and she was doing right just following his former suggestion of trusting people when she met her sister and the band.

"Does he know about my mother?"

"Yes, he does. Don't worry, he is optimistic with that", he smiled at her. "He says you can bring her mind back just like you did with him"

"Well, it's different this time. Plus, Terra freed him, not us"

"Anna, don't be so negative. Now I'm a 100% sure everything will be ok"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

His bright smile made her have hope again, maybe the talks with her father had revealed him something she could not see… or maybe it was just Yoh trying to cheer her up, but it worked anyway. Alex seemed to be better these days too, maybe there was something to do after all.

"Do you really want to go?", Alex asked with concerned eyes, "It won't be a nice experience"

"I know, but I want to go with you anyway", Anna said firmly, "I can recover the tests during the vacation period"

"I would rather you see her after we are sure she is ok", insisted Alex.

"I don't care of what you would rather. I'm going with you and that's it", stated Anna without giving a chance to anyone of give her a reply.

"According to Tristan's data his father was hiding in a Norwegian forest, but is highly probable he moved after losing contact with them", said Rain and smiled to Anna, "We can't risk it all. So, Xana, Reiner, Hans and I will be doing some research there. We'll let you know if we find something"

"But, that could be dangerous for you", Yoh said with a worried voice.

"Don't worry. The new family's head owe us, so we will ask for some help", Reiner grinned at him.

They departed a few days after. Yoh could notice Anna was missing them, even their pranks, because she mentioned often than the house was pretty quiet since they left, even Eri wasn't yelling to Alex 'cause she seemed to be a "good girl" now.

"Are you by yourself?", asked Manta when he noticed the silence.

"Kind of", she answered and shrugged, "Those two are locked in Eri's room and my dad is relaxing outside"

"Did they fight?"

"On the contrary, they are probably having sex or something", she said in her usual way, taking the math's exercises book. "It's been pure love this days, they are so fluffy I will be puking rainbows soon. I liked them better when Eri was mean", she frowned and looked for the page she had marked for Yoh the previous day, "Did you finished the page I marked for you?", as there was no answer she raised her sight, "Yoh?"

The two boys were looking their books with a nervous grimace in the mouth and their face all red. Anna looked at them incredulous, then furious, "ARE YOU IMAGINING THEM IN BED?!"

"NO! Nonononononononono!", Yoh denied, putting his whole soul on it and he wasn't lying, he just imagined how would it be to be with Anna upstairs. Luka's ghost appeared behind Anna, glaring at him with a dense aura… he was screwed even telling the truth, but his girlfriend could smell a lie from kilometers away. "I was…", he gulped, "I was… just thinking about…", he shivered nervously with the assassin thirst of blood he was perceiving from Luka, then sighed _I'll be hit anyway so what the hell_ , "I was thinking about… you and… me", he said as ashamed as never before.

"Oh! I just remembered I have extra classes today, silly me!", Manta took his stuff and ran away at his top speed. _I'm sorry, Yoh._ He heard the slap echoing through the whole neighborhood as he kept running for his life. _It's Anna's fault for saying such things so carelessly!_ He thought, blushing aggressively and trying to focus on his legs.

"So, you are a teen after all. I thought you were just a really smart child", a white-haired man said, walking next to him.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Did I scare you?", he blinked in astonishment, then he realized, "Oh, right! You just can see ghosts"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!", Manta pointed him, freaking out. He had the description of Anna's evil cousin.

"HAHAHAHA. So, I'm Anna's evil cousin", he laughed out loud, then smirked, "Well, I guess you could call me that"

Manta paralyzed in his place, this was really bad for him. The man vanished his smirk and looked at him with disdain.

"You are so weak. Anyway, I'm leaving with my brother and sister", he gave Manta an envelope, "Take it, it will be useful for your friend. I don't want to show up in front of them, so here you go"

Manta took the envelope and looked at it with curiosity. "What…?", the man disappeared before he could ask. The short teen sighed in resignation, he would have to go back at Anna's place… maybe he was in time to redeem himself and save Yoh's life.

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

 ** _._**

* * *

Hi there! I hope you are enjoying this, thanks for reading!

Responding to some reviews:

\- Kagami, thanks again you gave me some ideas :3

\- Rozan-ji, creo que no te aparece en inicio porque es "rate M" y esos fics no aparecen a menos que cambies el filtro (por defecto está en K). No te preocupes, entiendo bien el review xd Gracias por los comentarios :)

Thanks again to all the ones reading and I hope you keep following this story, oh! and happy valentine's day! See you in the next chapter! :D


	15. Chapter 15

**Prelude**

 **.**

"Did we miss something?", asked Alex when she saw Yoh and Manta's swollen cheeks, and her father glaring furious to Yoh.

"Nothing", Anna said sharply, making it clear it was actually _'something'_ , "That white-haired guy left this envelope", she said, giving it to Alex.

"What is it?", Alex asked, taking the envelope and opening it. She raised an eyebrow when she saw the content, "An old sheet of paper?"

"It's not an ' _old sheet of paper'_ ", said Eri, taking the paper off Alex's hand. She looked attentively to it, then took Alex's left hand and bit the index finger making it bleed.

"Hey!", Alex protested. She was about to remove her hand when Eri squeezed it so a drop of her blood hit the paper making it draw lines using her blood like ink. Then she blinked and looked at Eri with narrowed eyes, "You could have done that with your own blood."

"I don't heal myself so fast", she said without taking her eyes off the map, "I have seen this kind of map before, the star right here", she put the map on the table so they all could watch and pointed to a star, "This indicates our position, well, the blood's owner position", she pointed to a circle not so far from the star, "And the circle over there, that's the position of the _prey_ "

"Prey?", all the presents asked.

"This kind of map is used for their _jobs_ ", Eri said with a serious and thoughtful expression in her face.

"What's wrong?", asked Alex when she noticed that.

"This could be his real hideout", she answered.

"But, that's not Norway", Manta said. The circle was actually in Japan.

"It's around Aomori", added Anna.

"I'm calling the guys", said Alex walking away, followed by Eri.

"This is suspicious as less", commented Anna, taking her chin in a thoughtful way.

"My grandma' have been living there since she was a child, we could ask her if she have seen something strange around", suggested Yoh.

"I'll send a ghost, but I don't want to endanger her… She is getting older and her powers are not the same", Anna said.

"We could go there, just in case" Yoh said.

"You know this could be a trap", Anna said serious.

"Maybe, but we are going anyway", Alex said entering again. "The guys are doing some research there, and everything seems to indicate our dear uncle is not here in Japan. This person in the map is someone else...", she lowered her sight biting her lip in a frustrated and tense gesture. Maybe the one there was the one she wanted to find years ago…

"Do you think…?", Anna started without asking the whole question. Her sister and father's face were enough to know who was the _prey_ in the map.

"Well, it's late and I have to give a call to my grandma,'" Yoh said with a big smile, he took Anna's hand and whispered to her ear: "Everything will be ok. I'm with you"

She gave him a subtle smile and accompanied him and Manta to the door after they said goodbye. She was feeling so lucky for having Yoh by her side at this moment… but she still had some doubts about his "everything will be ok", because she had seen Alex's reactions under painful and dangerous situations, and this one would be the most dangerous and painful situation ever.

"Anna! We are ordering pizza! Eri wants veggies I want meat, you choose!" Alex cried out from the living room.

"We just find out our mother is here and you are ordering pizza just like this," Anna said upset when she reached the living room.

"It's gonna be ok." Alex smiled at Anna while resting her head on Eri's lap who was sitting in the couch.

"Veggies", said Anna a little bit pissed with both of them. Since they got back together, Alex was taking it easy with everything, but for a second she had thought it would be different with this subject.

"You are always on Eri's team," Alex complained with a sulky pout in her face.

"That's 'cause you always want to eat something high in fats and we are careful with that," Eri said starting the call to order.

"You are a pair of grass-eating rabbits, I miss the guys," she said in a bad mood and received a playful hit in the head, courtesy of Eri, that vanished her bad mood and made her smile to her.

"Lap dog" Anna said, she could swear her sister would be waving her tail if she had one. Of course, Anna was happy for the happiness of Alex, but it was way too much love for her. Alex was just like a dumb teen now!

"Always", agreed Al, emerging from her young master's shadow.

"You are waking up too early these days", pointed out Alex, frowning at the red-haired vampire who had a mocking smile in her face. "And she owns my heart but I'm not her lap dog!", she cried out to her younger sister. Why was she so upset with that? They, being together, was Anna's doing after all.

Eri patted her head like saying _good girl_ , just after her comment. Anna and Al raised an eyebrow with a mocking smile directed to Alex as Eri had a smirk. Alex frowned at her girlfriend, it was nice the three of them were getting along until they became a team.

"Of course, girl", continued Al. "And I told you: I have nightmares", she frowned at her master.

"What kind of nightmares?", asked Anna. She couldn't imagine what kind of nightmares could have a vampire, priests? Christians cross? Someone sticking a stake in her heart? Garlic? "These nightmares started after we faced our cousins in Manta's house, right?"

Aldara nodded and touched her throat with shadows under the eyes, remembering it was as maddening as dreaming it. "It's just… it's excruciating… I'm thirsty there… I'm thirsty and hungry, I just want to run away to drink or eat something… or someone at that stage… That sensation drives me crazy, my throat is dry and burning so bad I can't think in anything else than finding a prey, but I can't escape, my mind is cloudy and I hit the walls of my prison trying to break out, but it's useless… I just want something or someone gets in there to finally put an end to the thirst and hunger"

The humans present gulped surreptitiously, Aldara's eyes looked desperate and crazy about it, she was not the centered one they knew and this version of her was scary as hell, she seemed to be out of herself and she was just remembering her bad dream... The three girls present couldn't help but think they were so grateful that she didn't suffer from sleepwalking.

"If I have to confess…", she continued, closing her eyes now more centered. "I can hear your voices when I'm about to wake up, and I just can think on jumping and catch one of you… But then I wake up at all"

The girls startled and had chills with her confession, those nightmares must stop for their safety.

"Al? Is it possible you still remain a bond with Aura?", asked Luka, appearing next to her.

"Well, if she is alive we still could have a bond, but I haven't perceived her since I left her that day"

"What if your nightmares are her days…", he said sadly.

"That…", Aldara stared at him and thought about it, "… that could be…", she said in the same sad attitude.

"We are leaving tomorrow", stated Alex. She left Eri's lap and sat straight in the couch. "We can't wait long."

"That could be too risky," said Anna, keeping calm and thinking with a cold mind. Her sister was not capable of doing that. "If those are her memories, then we will die in a second if we set her free."

"I said we'll leave tomorrow. I never said we are setting her free tomorrow", replied Alex.

"You are impulsive and reckless, I can't believe blindly in your self-control", pointed out Anna, frowning at her older sister.

"I know, but I would never risk you two", she responded.

"That's why I don't want to go yet, because you could sneak out and go by your own", said Anna.

"It would be safer if I go with Al and you two stays home"

"No way!", Eri cried out when she finished the call, pointed Alex in a menacing way, "You are certainly NOT going alone"

"She can't be really strong if she is starving!", protested Alex.

"You are going with us or you are not going!", she yelled like she hadn't yell in weeks.

"I'm strong enough to solve this by my own!"

"Don't you dare to forget your promise!"

"HA. Are you serious? You will use that against me, really?"

Anna looked at them arguing like she hadn't seen in almost a month. She just stood up and walked to her room to pack a few clothes, because whatever was the conclusion of their arguing they will be traveling tomorrow morning, so she called a spirit to give notice to Yoh.

* * *

"This is too much", said Alex, looking at her partner with narrowed eyes and pointing to the handcuffs that kept them together.

"It's not too much if this will stop your suicidal instinct", she responded serious and with eyes closed.

"Is she really that reckless?", Yoh asked quietly to Anna, he didn't want Eri listening him.

"She is", Anna said, looking at him by the corner of the eye. "Are you sure Kino-sensei is ok with this?"

They were walking through the streets of Osore, just a couple minutes away from the inn.

"Yeah. She was glad of having you here!", Yoh said with a big smile. "She also said she would like to give you a present"

"A present?", Anna raised an eyebrow with that comment. Kino-sensei gifts were usually things you can use for self-defense, maybe some kind of rosary. Her curiosity was gone a few hours later when she received that old book from her sensei.

"This old book belonged to Asakura Hao, it has been used by our family for generations," Kino said solemnly, "It's reserved to members of Asakura family, but you are an especial case and this can make you really strong. Just be sure of opening it outside the house."

"Outside?"

"Yes, outside. You can go now if you are so curious."

Anna raised an eyebrow and looked at her suspiciously, then excused herself and walked outside. She looked around and opened the book, she blinked when a piece of paper fell from the book.

"What…?" she mumbled and bent down to catch it, but a husky and thick voice alerted her to jump back. "So, it was a seal…" Anna said when the two guardians appeared in front of her. They were huge, their heads had a five-point star's shape, big fangs and claws and their bodies were all muscles, they looked tough… _I would rather a rosary instead a fight…,_ Anna thought when she saw them.

"You! Who dare to take Master Hao's property! We will show you respect!", both talked at unison and attacked her instantly.

Anna jumped and took her rosary, she didn't remember any spell to stop them, so she checked the book. She smiled to herself, of course, her sensei was using this like a trial and the real gift was in front of her. Kino still wanted her like Yoh's wife… _It doesn't sound that bad now_ , Anna thought. She jumped again and wrapped the two demons with her rosary.

"Restriction," she said firmly. The two demons cried out loud and tried to resist, but they were locked again in seconds, this time to become Anna's servants. The blonde looked at the beads on her hand and let escape some air, it was easy, but having those guardians meant she had indirectly accepted Kino-sensei's ideas and the compromise with the Asakuras.

"Anna!", Alex's scream got her off her thoughts. Her older sister grabbed her shoulders and looked attentively to her. "Are you ok?"

"Yes, it was nothing." Anna said calmly while Alex took her chin and checked for bruises or injuries, then put Anna's arms up and looked at her, she checked then her legs, dress, feet… "Alex… C'mon… I'm 16 not 6…", Anna finally said, giving Alex a pissed look.

"I don't care! I can't help to worry about you!" Alex whined like a child in front of her.

Anna sighed and rolled her eyes, going inside accompanied by her sister. Yoh was at the door, chuckling… well, maybe Alex's overprotectiveness could be funny for other people. It was clear Kino-sensei wouldn't give her something impossible to achieve because she wanted Anna marrying to her grandson, but of course, Alex wouldn't think about it and just would hear to the ' _danger'_ alarm in her head.

"It's getting cold. Go and take a cup of the tea," Alex suggested as they walked to the dining room.

Anna rolled her eyes and sat next to Yoh, who was serving tea to all of them.

"Sometimes she acts like your mom," Yoh said to her at the time Alex was going outside again to get firewood.

"My real mom will try to eat me, so I guess she feels she has to replace her someway."

"C'mon don't be so negative."

"I told you about Al's nightmares", Anna looked at him with narrowed eyes. How could she be positive?! The whole thing was a tragedy if not a thriller!

"But she just need some blood and will be ok, right?" Yoh kept his positive attitude and grin.

" _Some blood_ , could not be enough. Could you just be realistic?!"

"You could be just more positive. It's not like we are setting her free in the instant we find her, we can give little portions, right?"

"How?" She frowned at him. "How can we give her something without risking our lives?"

"Well, maybe we―"

"You two, get ready. Now!" Eri ordered from the door and she rushed to the entrance.

Both obeyed instantly, she wouldn't give them that order if it wasn't serious.

"Is that a dragon?!" Yoh exclaimed incredulous.

Both teens stood with eyes wide opened in front of the 3-meter height black occidental dragon who was serving as a monture for Eri. She looked at them arching an eyebrow, like if they were acting really weird.

"C'mon! I'm sure you saw bigger guys in the Shaman Fight," she said rolling her eyes. "Come up here! That idiotic Alex ran without us and it's getting dark."

"How do you― ?"

"HURRY UP!" Eri roared, before Yoh could finish his question. Yoh and Anna glanced to each other, they had never traveled in a dragon, but it seemed she was almost freaking out and Alex could be in real danger, so they had no choice…

"Ladies first," Yoh said politely and doing the gesture of ' _after you'_ with his hands.

"Such a gentleman..." Anna glared at him for his _chivalrous_ behavior and took Eri's hand to go up in the dragon. She was already feeling dizzy because she remembered their race in motorcycle and didn't like to think about a race in a dragon… Yoh boarded after her, he was smiling and looked… excited? HA! He had no idea.

The dragon unfolded its wings and moved them fiercely up and down, leaving the ground and reaching the skies in a few seconds. Yoh and Anna felt a little out of oxygen because of the sudden change of pressure, Eri glanced at them before checking the map again.

"Are you ok?", she asked without looking at them.

"Yeah…" Yoh raised his head slowly and looked at her. "So, that's why you used her blood. You knew she would go by her own."

"Exactly, it was obvious. She is almost there, we have to hurry. Hold on tight."

They couldn't say a word, after that it was like if the dragon had gotten a speed boost, they barely could grasp to its back to avoid falling.

* * *

"Tell the guys I guess I found him" Rain ordered to one of her ghost wolves. "Or at least what's left of him," she added in a whisper.

Her uncle was sitting in a wooden chair inside an old lodge, or at least his torso and left leg. The head was on the table in front of him and the arms were at the other side of the room, his right leg was not visible from the window. She tracked all around using her ghosts and there was no one around but them, not a single soul in kilometers around.

"Go inside and inspect him" She ordered to another wolf. The animal went inside and checked him and his body parts. He had a silver stake in his chest and his body parts were treated to avoid the _'reassemble'_ , so he was certainly dead… "So… his guardian is free..." Rain mumbled starting to feel fear, but at least his guardian wasn't near.

She inspected the door, it was unlocked and slightly opened. Leaned at the door frame and looked inside still being cautious, she knew by experience than her relatives were full of surprises. Rain gave signals to other wolves and sent them inside to inspect the rooms, from her position she could not feel a single odor, nor see a print or clue about someone there in the last days, but his body had been recently treated because it didn't smell yet. She stayed there, unconsciously containing her breath, all her muscles tensed and alert, waiting for her wolves inform to finally get in, she could swear her heartbeat would be audible for others because it was menacing with leave her chest.

She paralyzed when she heard crunch the wood inside, her wolves couldn't do that, so she took a deep breath and entered slowly and alert with her arm ready to shoot a lightning bolt. Someone took her by surprise for the back, so she electrified her whole body and gave the menace a discharge strong enough to stun a bear. Rain jumped and looked to her attacker, ready to fight… when she noticed it was just her stupid twin brother trying to prank her…

"Asshole," she told him with narrowed eyes and continued with her inspection, now more relaxed.

"It seems to be clear," Xana said passing by trembling Reiner's side. He looked at his cousin in the floor with narrowed eyes. "I told you her bolts are more painful than yours."

"Ha-ha-ha-ha", Reiner laughed still trembling by the electric current. He could stand it just because he had the same ability than his sister.

The wolves finally informed her: all clear.

"So, what do you think?" Rain asked Xana.

"I think he died just a few hours ago, but his murder was planned for sure. I mean, just look at him!" Xana exclaimed raising his arms.

"At least his guardian is not around" Rain walked away to see the rooms with her own eyes.

"Who was his guardian?"

"We never saw him/her," Reiner said standing up. "Oh god, my head is killing me", he complained.

"Asshole", the other two mumbled.

"Hey, check this!" Rain called them from one of the rooms. It was covered in dust and it was obviously not used in years, it was full of toys and there was a child bed and a cradle, but Rain was looking to the picture on the wall. "No way…"

"Any clue?"

Rain took the picture and passed it to Xana. His eyes wide opened when he realized the same his cousin had: that was the old home of Alex and Anna. The picture showed him a smiling Alex being hugged by his father and mother, and a baby in her arms.

"That damn old fox, he knew no one would look for him here. The only ones knowing where he…" he shut when he realized who could have done that.

"I doubt it was them. At least not with their own hands, even if they were mad at him they couldn't kill him like that," Reiner said walking inside the room. "Well, he is dead and that's all. Problem solved."

"Not at all. His guardian is still out there"

"So what? I'm sure they payed someone to take rid of him, the work must include the guardian." Reiner shrugged and smiled. "Let's go back and help the girls there."

"I guess this time he is right, take it easy", Xana said to Rain.

"Maybe…" _Or maybe not…_ she added on her thoughts. Aldara was still calling Master to Alex's mom and was incredibly loyal to her memory, that's why there were reasons to think his guardian could have run to complete his Master's desire even when he was not in this world… She knew a vampire could reach Japan in just a few hours... and it was more dangerous without a master.

* * *

 _Where the hell is she?_ Yoh though dizzy and feeling nausea… Eri was everything but soft with her air maneuvers. He glanced Anna, she was adopting a green color as well, but she kept her cool indifferent face while looking at the map, pretending she wasn't affected by the ride.

"I," Anna took a deep breath before continuing and pointed to map. "I think we should go by feet, we are almost there."

Eri glanced at her, then abruptly changed the direction and they took a 'controlled' nosedive to the ground. The two passengers looked to each other and saw themselves reflected in the other's eyes: pale, wanting to finally end with that hell ride, and expecting to be alive after the landing… expecting there was a landing, actually…

The dragon moved brusquely again and they took each other's hands instinctively, then closed their eyes expecting the worst. Surprisingly, they stopped moving. Both opened the eyes and saw Eri jumping from the dragon, who had landed so softly they didn't even noticed it. They were in the mountains now, just trees around them.

"Come on! We are short of time!" Eri started running and the dragon disappeared making them hit the ground, fortunately the beast was bending close to the ground when it disappeared so they didn't harm themselves.

"Anna… Please, never let me board on anything she is driving, no matter if I'm dying or whatever I say, just remind me this day if I ever dare to think about it…" Yoh asked her, raising his head still dizzy. "Please, promise me that…"

"Just if you promise me the same…", she said, trying to get up.

He offered Anna his little finger to close the deal, she took it with her little finger without doubt. They clenched their fingers together and nodded solemnly to each other, that promise was really true love and care for each other not like that cheesy promises of eternal love.

"Now I know why they usually hire drivers", he added when he could finally stand.

"I know Xana is decent at the wheel", Anna said. Shook her head to get rid of the dizziness and started moving. "Hurry up, Alex could be already screwed by now."

They heard a scream tearing the night, so they started running at their top speed in its direction.

.

 ** _To be continued…_**

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* * *

Hope you liked this one, this story is reaching its end. Thanks to Rozan-ji and Kagami for your continuous support, and yeah maybe they wedding could be included xD I really appreciate your comments :3 And thanks to all the ones still reading, I hope you all have a nice day/afternoon/night!

Reviews are always welcome. See you in the next chapter! :D


	16. Chapter 16

**Red**

 **.**

"Alex!", Anna called her sister in the night when she heard another scream, Alex was in pain, she could say she was about to beg. "Hurry up!"

Yoh and Anna speed up, Alex's screams were getting louder and yes, she was begging someone to stop her suffering. Eri was screaming too, but not in pain… They stopped when they realized who was responsible for Alex's screams. The full moon up in the sky made the night clear and they could see the whole scene. Anna slapped her forehead angry with herself for getting worried and angrier with both of them for being so childish even when they were technically adults going through a life or death situation.

"PLEASE! STOP! THAT HURTS! OUCH, YOU ARE SOOO MEEEEAN! I'M SORRYYYYYYYYYY!", Alex was begging for her life at the time Eri was absolutely furious, applying her a wrestling key that was almost breaking Alex's arms.

"HA! NOW YOU ARE SORRY! YOU CHILDISH BITCH!"

"SHUT UP! YOU PAIR OF IDIOTS! AND IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR TAKING AWAY THE HANDCUFFS!", Anna yelled at them as irritated as she hasn't been in months.

"She told me she needed to talk with you in private! I gave her 10 minutes and told Yoh to keep an eye on her while Kino was giving me details of the area! It's his fault for getting distracted with you!", she pointed furiously to Yoh with her free hand, the other hand was grasping Alex's ear.

"Oh, right!" Yoh said snapping his fingers and gaining a glare from his girlfriend and second sister-in-law. He shrank and laughed nervously, "I'm sorry?"

Anna rolled her eyes and sighed. "Ok, let's go. We haven't thought about our strategy and we are all tired."

"Al is still checking the surroundings," Alex said with a wince and looked pleadingly at Eri, "Please stop, that hurts."

"If you dare to run again I'll burn you to ashes," she said sharply.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, I won't do it again," Alex pledged. Eri let her go with a heavy sigh and Alex sobbed her now swollen ear.

"I'll give her a whip as birthday gift, so she can domesticate you once and for all," Anna said frowning and walking next to them.

"I'm not her pet! Stop calling me an anim—", she fell on her knees grasping her chest in pain with a gasp.

"Alex?"

She didn't answer, she was having a hard time breathing, all she could do was gasp.

"What's wrong?", Yoh asked confused.

"Where did Al go?!", Eri demanded crouching next to her, Alex looked to her right incapable of articulate a word. Eri made an oversoul over her body, that gave her a black breastplate and dragon wings, then raised slightly from the ground and immediately flew at low altitude in that direction, "Stay with her!", she ordered before disappearing in the wood.

"Don't—", Alex fell in the ground when she tried to stand and stop her, "Go… with…", she mumbled almost begging to Yoh and Anna to not let her go on her own.

"We can't leave you here in this condition!"

"Take… me…"

"Anna, stay here. I'll help Eri."

The blonde took him by the wrist before he could start his race. "Why am I surrounded by annoying people?", Anna took her rosary and called the two demons that her mentor gave her earlier that day. The three of them got into their big hands, she didn't know if she could use them properly as transportation, but she was sure she would definitely be better than Eri with her skills in that matter. "Yoh, help her to hold", she ordered.

Yoh did as demanded, expecting (praying) for Anna to be a better ' _driver_ ' than her sister-in-law. She ordered the demons to jump in the direction she sensed Eri's aura, it was hard to hold on because of the force of the movement but she managed to keep standing up. The wind made it hard to see too, she could barely open her eyes to look for them.

"There!" Yoh pointed forward. At some meters from their position there was smoke in the middle of the trees, probably Eri was fighting with something or someone.

Yoh jumped with the ultimate shape of his oversoul, ready to fight, and leaving Anna and Alex behind, without caring about his girlfriend's complaints. If Alex was not there to protect Anna then it was his job to do it, maybe she would disagree, but he felt that way since the first day and that feeling was stronger now after all the things that they faced together. He also wanted to help them all, Alex, Eri and their gang were taking care of Anna, they protected Manta and his friends as well, he could not be ok with just watching from the distance.

When he reached the spot where Eri was supposed to be, there was just fire burning some trees. Seconds after Eri was thrown next to him from the woods, she was already injured even after just a few minutes.

"Go away!" Eri ordered, standing up again and facing the woods, waiting for her enemy. "I got this!"

"No, you don't!" He yelled back to her, frowning. Eri's arm was bleeding and he could see the fear on her eyes even if she was playing the tough girl's role.

Eri was about to reply when their opponent landed in front of them. She bit her lip, this was bad… really bad, terrible! Yoh's help would be good if they could actually do something against that woman, but the two of them were not enough. Maybe they would have a chance with Alex and Anna, but a) Alex was not in conditions b) Aldara was almost dead c) Anna was still in training d) Her own arm was almost useless now and she needed it to perform her attacks e) Her oversoul could not even scratch the enemy f) Yoh was still young and not experienced enough with this kind of opponents g) The worst of all was: that woman was Alex's mother turned into a monster, so none of the sisters could face her, even in conditions to fight...

"Yes, she is," Eri said to Yoh's unasked question. Only the face of the young shaman was enough to guess what he was thinking.

"She is like an older version of Alex!" Yoh exclaimed, extremely surprised. "… well, an older and creepy version of…" he added.

Aura was dressed in ragged clothes, she was all covered in blood, even her mouth. Her hands had long and sharped nails, they were claws made to rip someone's flesh and they had fresh blood all over them, so Yoh didn't need to ask what happened with Aldara… That woman's eyes were red, animal, ferocious, they had the look of a beast (or a monster) looking for its prey, not even animals looked like that when they were chasing their food. You could feel the killing desire coming from her, but she seemed to be confused with two "preys" in front of her, her eyes kept switching between the two of them.

"What's the plan?" Yoh asked. It was better to follow Eri's commands since she had more experience with that kind opponents.

"Hold on the whole night and don't die," she said and adopted her fighting position again. _I won't forgive myself if any of you die._

"Uhm… anything else?"

Eri sighed and shook her head, she usually knew how to deal with someone after a few minutes of fight, but this time she could not see weak points… She just smiled, resigned, all they could do was to hold on during the night and hope that Aura was weaker with the sunlight.

Yoh understood that smile and grinned. "Ok! Let's do our best!"

 ** _._**

 ** _To be continued..._**

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Hi! It's been a looooooooooooong time, but I'm back (kinda). If someone is still following this I have to say I'm sorry for taking this long, but work, studies, and stuff got me (and get me) really busy, so I don't know when I'll continue... I'm sorry :C Anyway, I think I'll finish this story someday ^^' I hope you enjoyed and I'm sorry for the grammar issues, I'm studying and trying to improve to make it less painful to read.

Thanks for reading! Have a nice day/night! :D


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